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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. What sort of physique does Ovid say that men consumed by love have?

2. What does Ovid say about seducing the maid of the lady you are after?

3. What does Ovid say will happen if you send your intended mistress a letter in sophisticated and high brow language?

4. What does Ovid say about the characters of women?

5. What advice does Ovid give involving your rivals in love?

Short Essay Questions

1. Are Daedalus and his son successful in their flight? What happens?

2. What activity does Ovid say is guaranteed to "let Cupid in" when he is not wanted? What does he recommend as an alternative?

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

4. What places does Ovid recommend for finding women?

5. What advice does Ovid give women regarding hair?

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

7. What advice does Ovid give regarding makeup? What does he say about how much to wear and when to apply it?

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

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

10. Why does Ovid like to promise gifts?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Summarize the advice that Ovid gives to men and women regarding what to do to "cure" themselves of love.

Part 1. What advice does he give?

Part 2. How accurate or valuable to you feel his advice is?

Part 3. Is any, most, or all of it still applicable today? What has changed and what hasn't?

Essay Topic 2

Ovid's banishment from Rome remains one of the great historical mysteries. There are many clues and theories about the details of his banishment and what caused it. Write an essay covering in detail the known facts in the situation and the various theories regarding the unknown parts of his banishment.

Part 1. What concrete information do we have about Ovid's banishment? What is the official reason given for it?

Part 2. What important information is not known regarding Ovid's banishment? How do we know we are missing something important?

Part 3. What theories exist about the reasons behind his banishment?

Part 4. Where is Ovid exiled to? How long does he stay there? What is it like for him? What are the sum affects of the banishment on Ovid?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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