The major theme of the Metamorphoses, as the title suggests, is metamorphosis, or change. Throughout the fifteen books making up the Metamorphoses, the idea of change is pervasive.
The Metamorphoses of Ovid is an epic poem comprised of many Greek and Roman myths. The Metamorphoses may be the most influential text on Western literature and certainly the most influential poem.
This landmark translation of Ovid was acclaimed by Ezra Pound as "the most beautiful book in the language (my opinion and I suspect it was Shakespeare's)".
The stories of The Metamorphoses cover the history of the world from its creation all the way through the time of Julius Caesar. This book has influenced other great authors such as Shakespeare, Dante, and Chaucer.