View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

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

2. Which of the following best characterizes Ovid's motivation for his manual on how to subdue love?

3. How does Ovid feel about deception to girls?

4. Where does Ovid claim to find the most pleasure?

5. What does Ovid say is the secret to finesse at lovemaking?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. Does Ovid ever recommend crying? When?

4. What does Ovid say about beauty in The Art of Love book 2? What advice does he give to prepare for this?

5. What advice does Ovid have for men regarding their hair, body, and clothes?

6. What advice does Apollo tell Ovid to pass on to everyone?

7. What does Ovid recommend your behavior be like towards a lover you are trying to get over?

8. 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?"

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

10. What places does Ovid recommend for finding women?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Ovid lays out a detailed framework for those that wish to be successful courting the other sex. How do you measure up?

Part 1. What specific advice does Ovid give your gender?

Part 2. Are there some parts of the advice that are outdated? Can they be translated to something current? For example, if he refers to a "toga", we can translate it as "clothes."

Part 3. How much of this advice do you currently practice? Do you think your chances in love would be better or worse if you practiced more?

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

Ovid gives quite a bit of detailed advice to both genders about how to fare well in love. How does his advice differ for the genders?

Part 1. What discrepancy is there in the enduring quality of the advice Ovid gives between the genders?

Part 2. Have gender roles changed since Rome in 4AD? How? Have the changes been significant or minor?

Part 3. What fundamental aspects would have to change for The Art of Love to be updated?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,051 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample