Ovid's Heroides, a collection of twenty-one epistles in elegiac verse, consists of two groups, the first comprising fourteen poems addressed by heroines of mythology to their absent lovers or husbands. In this edition, Professor Knox offers a commentary on seven of these epistles, addressing problems of language and style, and focusing on the relationship of the Heroides to the classic works of Greek and Roman literature on which Ovid bases his representation of these women. In addition, he has included a commentary on the Epistula Sapphus, a separate poem of doubtful authorship which was composed in the manner of Ovid and is believed by many to be by him. The Introduction provides an account of the genre, a survey of language, style and metre, and an outline of the problems concerning the authenticity of parts of the collection.

"Students and instructors alike will find Knox's observations on Ovid's language, style, and meter, as well as his notes on single words and phrase, comprehensive and stimulating. The bibliography and indexes are thorough and up-to-date. Highly recommended..." Choice

"Peter Knox, an outstanding Ovidian Scholar, has produced a typically thorough, in many ways excellent, commentary on a selection of Heroides for the Cambridge "yellow and green" series." Sergio Casali, The Classical Journal

"Knox provides an introduction to Ovid's Heroides, useful for advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and professional classicists. Moreover, careful study of the notes can serve as an excellent introduction to the broader topic of Ovidian language, style, and metrics." Betty Rose Nagle, Classical World