Ovid

Hello! My name is Publius Ovidius Naso, but you can call me Ovid. My story begins a long, long time ago, on March 20th, 43 BCE, in a town called Sulmo, not too far from the great city of Rome. My family was wealthy and respected, so my father had very big plans for me. He wanted both me and my brother to study law and become important politicians. We were sent to the best schools in Rome and even traveled to Athens to learn. My brother was a natural at public speaking, but my heart was always somewhere else. I had fallen in love with words and the way they could create music and paint pictures in your mind. Even when I tried my hardest to write a serious speech for school, it would often turn into a poem by accident!

When I was twenty years old, my dear brother passed away, and I knew I couldn't pretend any longer. I finally told my father that I had to follow my dream of becoming a poet. I gave up my career in politics and focused all my energy on writing. Living in Rome was wonderful; it was a busy city full of art and excitement. It was the best decision I ever made! Around 16 BCE, I published my very first book of poems, which I called the 'Amores.' They were clever and funny poems all about love, and the people of Rome absolutely loved them. Before long, I was one of the most famous poets in the entire Roman Empire. I had many friends, a wonderful wife, and I truly enjoyed my life, often sharing my newest verses at parties.

Of all the poems I wrote during my life, I am proudest of one giant masterpiece called the 'Metamorphoses.' The title means 'transformations' or 'changes,' which is exactly what the stories are about. I spent years carefully writing it, finally finishing my work around the year 8 CE. It isn’t just one single story, but more than 250 ancient myths all woven together into one long, epic poem. It tells the story of the world from the very moment of its creation all the way to my own time. Every single tale involves some kind of magical change—like a nymph turning into a tree, a sculptor’s statue coming to life, or a boy with wax wings flying too close to the sun. I wanted to create something special that would last forever, a collection of all the best stories I knew.

Just as I had finished the 'Metamorphoses,' my life took a sudden, sad turn. In that very same year, 8 CE, the powerful Emperor Augustus banished me from Rome. This meant I was forced to leave the city and never return. He said he was angry with me for 'a poem and a mistake.' The poem was one I had written about love, but the mistake was something I had seen that I was never allowed to speak about. I was sent to a faraway town called Tomis, located on the cold shores of the Black Sea at the very edge of the empire. I was completely heartbroken to leave my home, my family, and all of my friends. I would never see the beautiful city of Rome again.

I spent the last years of my life in Tomis, writing sad poems about how much I missed my home. I lived to be about 60 years old, passing away around the year 17 CE. Even though my life had a sad ending, my greatest wish came true. My words and my stories did not disappear. For more than two thousand years, people all over the world have read my poems, especially my 'Metamorphoses.' My tales of gods, heroes, and magical changes have inspired countless paintings, plays, and new stories, keeping the wonderful world of myths alive for everyone to enjoy.