Favorite translation for Ovid's Metamorphoses?

[Kareni]

As a senior (gulp!) next year, my daughter will be taking an out of the home AP Latin class. As a summer reading assignment, she is required to read an English translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses in its entirety. I'd love to hear which translation you might recommend.

My library has versions from the following, but I'd be willing to purchase a different translation.

Slavitt
Z. Philip Ambrose.
Ted Hughes (translated 24 stories. How many are there?)
Allen Mandelbaum

I look forward to your reply!
Regards,
Kareni

[Shari]

Well ..... I've not actually read it yet, but I just ordered Classical Mythology from the Teaching Company and the version they recommend is this:
"Ovid, Rolfe Humpries (translator). Metamorphoses (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0253200016/teachingcompa-20)

Fast-paced, readable translation; very free at times, but good at capturing Ovid’s "tone."

This is the TC course taught by Elizabeth Vandiver, and while I've not tackled Ovid just yet, I've enjoyed all of her other suggested readings. HTH

[Karenciavo]

There are 15 books and I think some translations don't include them all, but the Humphries translation does.

[clwcain]

I used Mandelbaum's translation in a grad seminar on mythology that I took a few years ago. I really enjoyed it.

[Hilary]

Funny that you ask ... I'm reading it right now :) I'm using the Rolfe Humphries translation because it was the one recommended by Dr. Vandiver in the Teaching Company lectures, and she's my idol :) I compared several different translations whilst at Barnes & Noble, and this one looked the most accessible to me. So far, I'm really enjoying it. My 9th grader isn't a voracious reader, but I think he will be able to handle this ... especially the blood-and-guts and salacious bits.

[Kareni]

I'll be looking for Rolfe Humphries and Mandelbaum's translations before making a decision.

We certainly learned what a difference a good translation can make when we were reading Les Miserables a couple of years ago. The first translation truly made for a miserable experience; we were amazed when we started reading another version to find just how different the experience could be.

Regards,
Kareni

[Nissi]

A friend of mine highly recommends the Charles Martin translation.
Nissi

[Kareni]

A friend of mine highly recommends the Charles Martin translation.


Thanks, Nissi, one more to check out!
Regards,
Kareni

[MicheleinMN]

Metamorphoses (Oxford World's Classics) (Paperback)
by Ovid (Author), E. J. Kenney (Introduction), A. D. Melville (Translator)


Is the one we are using. Honestly, I don't remember why we chose this translation, but we all like it well enough. (ds 16, dd 14, and me)

Michele

[Kareni]

... A. D. Melville (Translator)

Is the one we are using. Honestly, I don't remember why we chose this translation, but we all like it well enough. (ds 16, dd 14, and me)

Ah ha, yet another to check out! Thanks, Michele.

Since it sounds as though there are a lot of good translations, I'm thinking I should have asked what translation of the Metamorphoses to AVOID!

Regards,
Kareni