Sorrows

Ovid: Tristia. Ponto. Wheeler, Arthur Leslie, editor. Cambridge, MA; London, UK: Harvard University Press; William Heinemann Ltd., 1939 (printing).

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"Sorrows" (Tristia) is a collection of elegiac poems in five books, written by the Roman poet Ovid after his sudden banishment by Emperor Augustus to Tomis, a remote outpost on the Black Sea. The work opens with the poet personifying his book of poetry and sending it back to Rome, followed by vivid descriptions of his painful final night in the city and the perilous storms endured during his journey. Throughout the collection, Ovid pleads his case to Augustus, arguing that his downfall was due to an unintentional "error" (error) rather than a crime, and begs for a milder place of exile. He movingly praises the devotion of his faithful wife left behind in Rome, expresses deep gratitude to loyal friends, and warns those who betrayed him. Despite the harsh climate of Tomis, the threat of hostile barbarians, and his fear of losing his grasp of the Latin language, Ovid continues to write as his sole consolation. Ultimately, the work stands as a poignant testament to a poet who, even in the depths of despair, found salvation and the promise of immortality through his craft.