Long before Shakespeare’s name was synonymous with the stage he built a name as a poet, and Venus and Adonis was likely the first work to be published by the same quill that gave the world Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet and the rest of the canon.

This narrative poem tells the story of Venus, the goddess of love, and her unrequited love for Adonis. Inspired by Ovid’s telling of the myth, Shakespeare’s version is much more forthright, and was an instant success. A light entertaining tale, this is the poem that marks the beginning of the building of the Bard’s brand.