ABSTRACT
This chapter offers a reading of Ovid's exilic epistles, the Tristia and Epistulae ex Ponto, through the lens of trauma theory. It argues that Ovid can be characterized as a victim of traumatic suffering and that critiques of his epistles (e.g., the repetitiveness of themes and imagery therein) can be explained by this condition in exile. Writing poetry helped Ovid cope with his trauma; it was perhaps not only an avenue to restore his status in Rome but also a means to maintain his own mental well-being. This chapter reviews select poems in the collections, focusing on Ovid’s memories and visions of family, friends, and the city of Rome, and employs trauma theory to explain why the poet is unable to directly articulate the traumatic event that led to his exile.
