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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which of the following does Ovid claim his writing will now be about?

2. Who inspires Ovid to write this long poem for women?

3. What does Ovid tell women about youth?

4. When does Ovid say is an appropriate time to make a definitive bold move on a girl?

5. What does Ovid say about glum girls?

Short Essay Questions

1. What advice does Ovid give regarding the maids and servants of a lover?

2. What sort of language does Ovid recommend using when writing to a girl?

3. What is Ovid referring to when he says "A fire's blown up by the wind, by the wind extinguished: a gentle breeze fans the flame, a harder gust puts it out?"

4. What does Ovid say about time apart in a relationship?

5. Summarize the story of Procris and Cephalus. What point does Ovid make?

6. What element does Ovid say is most important when playing games? Why?

7. Does Ovid recommend seclusion as a cure for love? What does he say on the subject?

8. According to Ovid in The Art of Love book 2, what difference is there between being a wealthy lover and a poor one?

9. What does Ovid recommend doing with old letters from an affair you are trying to forget? What else does he say on the subject?

10. What does Ovid recommend to women do regarding any personal flaws they might have?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many of the characters that Ovid cites have complicated stories. Do any of the gods or heroes have a story that particularly intrigues you? The relationship between Achilles and Briseis? The affair of Mars and Venus? The poet Tibullus? The god Cupid? Choose a figure that Ovid cites that interests you and research further into their circumstance and story.

Part 1. Who have you chosen to write about? Why were you attracted to learn more this particular story?

Part 2. Summarize the information you have researched about this figure.

Part 3. What significance does this story or person have?

Essay Topic 2

Ovid's erotic poems are written in elegiac couplets. Discuss this choice of meter form.

Part 1. What are the component parts of meter?

Part 2. What is a system of scansion and how is it used?

Part 3. What are elegiac couplets? What problems are there in translating this meter from the Latin?

Essay Topic 3

The Art of Love contains a lot of good information but some of it is also outdated. Some is simply outdated such as purple is no longer a pretentious color to wear because purple dye is no longer costly. Some reflect changing cultures and gender roles. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of Ovid's advice in The Art of Love.

Part 1. As a sum total, what is the worth of Ovid's advice? Is the quality of his advice different for the different genders?

Part 2. What has become outdated? Can it be modernized to fit today's society?

Part 3. What might be important today that he could not have known about or included when he lived and wrote?

(see the answer keys)

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