Ovid’s Casebook: The Literary Jurisprudence of the Metamorphoses

Roman literature has, thus far, assumed a relatively modest place in the canon of literary jurisprudence. Yet it presents rich resource for scholars interested, not just law, but law today. This article will revisit Ovid’s Metamorphoses, text which has continued to fascinate since Renaissance. It suggest that Metamorphoses can be read as ‘casebook’ and more especially relating marriage sexuality. At same time, argued Ovid had rather greater argument make regard broader sweep law. One key changes he described is transformed Rome from lawless lawful state. trace this ‘metamorphosis’ by re-reading three ‘cases’ discovered epic; those Tiresias, Philomela Myrrha.