In all of ancient literature there is nothing quite like the Ars Amatoria, Ovid's guide to seduction. He devotes Book 3 to teaching the women of Augustan Rome how to find, catch, and keep a male lover. Along with generous portions of wit and absurdity, his text contains a wealth of cultural references, highlighting Rome's architecture, theatres, gladiatorial spectacles, temples, baths, men's and women's clothing, hairstyles, cosmetics, music, poetry-reading, letter-writing, games, slavery, parties, sexuality, and sex. This last and longest book of Ovid's most notorious work helps us see...
In all of ancient literature there is nothing quite like the Ars Amatoria, Ovid's guide to seduction. He devotes Book 3 to teaching the women of Augus...