Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Why did Ovid leave the career in public service planned by his father?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Ovid
Ovid, copper engraving, c. 17th century.
Although Ovid’s father intended for him to pursue an official career in public service and sent him to Rome to study rhetoric, Ovid ultimately chose a different path. While he dutifully held minor judicial posts as the initial steps of that career, he soon determined that public life did not suit him.12
Instead of continuing his official duties, Ovid decided to abandon his public career to focus on cultivating poetry and engaging with the society of poets. Even during his earlier education, he had shown a preference for verse writing over his oratorical studies, despite his father's admonitions.12