The Art of Love

His wit, fluency and erotic treatises made him one of the most influential writers of ancient times

Independent

Rome's wittiest poet

Independent on Sunday

This sums Ovid up: Cerebral and sensual; but wit first

Ruth Padel

Much of Ovid's advice would not go amiss today

Guardian

With its jaunty, cunning and infernally clever rhyming couplets, Tom Payne's new translation is an utter treat from first to last...a sparkling foreword by Hephzibah Anderson...this effervescent Art of Love will be a lasting joy.

Independent

With its jaunty, cunning and infernally clever rhyming couplets, Tom Payne's new translation is an utter treat... Payne's commentary, and a sparkling foreword by Hephzibah Anderson, make the clear the deep gulf that separates his world from ours. Nonetheless, this effervescent Art of Love will be a lasting joy... On Valentine's, and indeed every other day, legalistic lovers would do well to mark his words

Boyd Tonkin, Independent

Pious and bawdy by turns, advocating high-mindedness, Ovid keeps readers guessing as to his true opinions. Payne's new translations steers a generally steady course between cheekiness and gravitas, while his footnotes - which reference Delia Smith, Joni Mitchell and Woody Allen - add an eccentric gloss.

Adrian Turpin, Financial Times

Payne's notes are excellent... commendably lively in the spirit of Ovid

Bernard O'Donoghue, Times Literary Supplement