MYTHOLOGY - OVID The titlepage of Ovid's poem, Metamorphosis, turned into English by George Sandys, 1627. Sandys did the greater part of his translation in America - and this work is said to be the first important piece of literature produced in North America. The mythological figures on this page play important roles in the stories of the transformations set out in Ovid's wonderful poem (the Latin version of which, perhaps more than any other piece of classical literature, influenced the imagery of the French Seer, Michel Nostradamus). Reading from top left, Pluto, with Cereberus, the three-headed hell-hound, sits in the flames of Hades, representing the Element of Fire. Top right, Juno, with her avian attribute, the peacock, holds a chameleon in her hand: she represents the Element of Air (it was believed that chameleon ate only air). In between the two, Hercules rides his chariot, above the head of the poet himself (grasping the lyre of Apollo). In the bottom register (left) is Flora, clutching a cornucopia and accompanied by a bull - she represents the Element of Earth. Bottom right, Neptune, with his trident, rides a sea-creature, representing the element Water. On either side of the title window, the naked woman is Venus, while the woman in armour, and with the Gorgon shield is Athena, the goddess of War and Wisdom.