Feminae: Medieval Women and Gender Index

Appendix Ovidiana: Latin Poems Ascribed to Ovid in the Middle Ages. Edited and translated by Ralph Hexter, Laura Pfuntner and Justin Haynes. Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library, Vol. 62. Harvard University Press, 2020.

"When does imitation of an author morph into masquerade? Although the Roman writer Ovid died in the first century CE, many new Latin poems were ascribed to him from the sixth until the fifteenth century. Like the Appendix Vergiliana, these verses reflect different understandings of an admired Classical poet and expand his legacy throughout the Middle Ages.

The works of the "medieval Ovid" mirror the dazzling variety of their original. The Appendix Ovidiana includes narrative poetry that recounts the adventures of both real and imaginary creatures, erotic poetry that wrestles with powerful desires and sexual violence, and religious poetry that—despite the historical Ovid’s paganism—envisions the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ.

This is the first comprehensive collection and English translation of these pseudonymous medieval Latin poems."— [Reproduced from the publisher's website]

Poems in the book relating to gender, sexuality and misogyny include:

• On the Flea
• On the Crafty Messenger
• On the Old Woman
• Metamorphosis of a Priest into a Rooster
• On the Distribution of Women
• Against Women
• On Love
• On the Remedy for Love
• On a Certain Old Woman
• On the Three Girls
• A Poem of Consolation for Livia

Previous Translations of the Month

Indexers select a translation each month that is significant in the ideas it presents.  This gives users an opportunity to see a range of newly translated medieval works of importance for women's and gender studies.  It also will build an archive of references to translations that will be useful as classroom readings.

Depending upon the content, an entire work may be indexed as a single title like the vita of a saint or the collected cartularies of a countess.  But in many cases the translation deals only in part with issues involving women and gender.  In those instances, indexing goes to a deeper level, identifying and describing specific sections within a text.  For example, there are 93 records for pertinent sections in the Siete Partidas.

To see more translations, go to the Advanced Search Page  and put "Translation" in the Article Type box.  Add specific terms to Keyword, Century or Geographical Area as needed.  

There are currently over 3000 records for translations in Feminae.  There are also over 500 records for editions in original languages.

Feminae welcomes unpublished translations and editions that authors may wish to make available.