Originally published in 1955, this introductory text was created for the general reader or students of the classics seeking a greater understanding of Ovid.

Ovid was, despite his faults, what Macaulay called him, 'a good fellow'. But he was also a wit, the product of an age of refinement. More important, he was an artist with conscious mastery of a great range of literary artifice; his poetry has a studied movement, a grace, a rich and patterned surface, a music, that have appealed to readers and writers with an ear for ' technique' ever since. In this 1962 volume, Mr Wilkinson writes to communicate his own evident enjoyment and understanding of Ovid's fortunes. A life tells what is known of the poet, and serves as a framework to the account of the poetry. This book, an abridgement of Ovid Recalled, is designed particularly for those who have no Latin: no special knowledge is assumed, and the ample quotation is translated into heroic couplets. The result is a delightful and serviceable introduction to Ovid.

Ovid: The Classical Heritage, first published in 1995, contains a diverse collection of reflections, ranging from the first century, through the Middle Ages, to the twentieth, on a poet who has been adored and reviled in equal measure. With the entire notion of ‘Western culture’ under duress, the need to establish continuity from antiquity to modernity is as pressing as ever. Each essay, selected by Professor Anderson, indicates an Ovidian theme or perspective which remains relevant to our self-understanding today. An enormous range of topics is investigated, in a variety of modes and styles: contemporary reaction, reception by Medieval Schoolmen, Ovid’s influence on Chaucer, and his importance for the ‘New Mythologists’. Overall, Ovid: The Classical Heritage offers a rich selection of essays, which cumulatively demonstrate the continuing importance and fascination of this great Roman poet.