Ovid's Art of Love

Rating:
Summary: Makes modern sex guides obsolete
Review: How many of you recall how, back in the 1970s, the Supreme Court decided that our founding fathers really meant freedom of the press and of speech to include the most pornographic materials on news stands for children to see and purchase. Remember all those sex manuals that suddenly proliferated: The Sensuous This and That, Where to Pick Up Men/Women and What To Do With Them Later? Well, back around the first century CE a chap named Ovid had anticipated them all with his "Art of Love." And that was literally in the Year 1.

Augustus, head of one of the most corrupt empires ever, went on a morality kick, had the book banned, and sent Ovid into exile. In fact, the United States also tried to keep the book out of this country up to 1960. And now in 2004 you can hear it read with perfect enunciation and seriousness by Martin Jarvis on two Audio Partners tapes (21050).

The first part is addressed to the men, the second (to keep things fair, Ovid explains) to the women. Now many people confuse his purpose just as they do that of Machiavelli in "The Prince." Neither man is advocating what he writes as a way of life. He is merely describing how humans have always acted and saying that if you wish to do these things, you might as well do them right. (I know some will disagree with me when it comes to Ovid, but to each his own opinion.)

Using metaphors drawn from chariot racing, navigating, and mythical tales, Ovid describes in great details where to meet the opposite sex, how to attract them, how to keep them interested when out of bed, and how to act when in bed. Yes, being a man, he tends to be very patronizing when discussing female reactions in the men's section; but he is quite sympathetic to women when addressing them in the second section.

Definitely not to be used for junior high school book reports, this reading will not only amuse you and surprise you (my gosh, it's so modern!) but perhaps also give you a deeper insight from a man who did it all about 2000 years ago.