Ovid’s poem describes gods and men changing form, themes vividly shown in Francis Clein’s print for this 1632 edition. This influential English translation of the Latin original was made by George Sandys, who like Merian travelled to the New World, as treasurer of Virginia.

Serving with the Virginia Company, George Sandys (1578-1644) published the first volume of his translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses in 1621, just prior to his journey to serve as treasurer to the governor of the Jamestown colony, Sir Francis Wyatt. He translated the rest of the work when both travelling to, and residing in, the new colony between 1621 and 1626. Whilst in America, the Virginia company was dissolved and its assets taken over by the English government. Thus it was on his return to London that Sandys published his completed translation of Ovid.

Taking place in a fantastical landscape, Ovid's Metamorphoses is an epic poem regarding Roman history from the creation of the world to the deification of Julius Caesar in 42BC. Sandys's translation was very influential, and his use of rhyming couplets and metaphor influenced late-seventeenth and early-eighteenth century translators such as Alexander Pope and John Dryden. However, the translation lost the pace and wit found in the original Latin. 

This volume is a copy of Sandys' enlarged 1632 edition. It is handsomely illustrated with engravings and also contains a translation of the first book of Virgil's Aeneid. It appears that the Aeneid, if it was completed, would have been more successful than the translation of the Metamorphoses. The text contains many allusions to Sandys's own experiences in Virginia which helps to emulate the tone of the survivors of the sack of Troy. Unfortunately, Sandys only completed the first book of his translation of the Aeneid, having had to divide his time between serving in the Privy Chamber of Charles I and publishing translations of various religious texts.