Metamorphoses

Ovid's famous narrative poem describes the creation and history of the world. The word metamorphosis means change and the stories tell of change or transformation of human beings into animals, beasts, trees, stones and other objects. The stories of mythological figures who have undergone transformations formed the primary subject matter of many classical works of art. The Italian Baroque painter Annibale Carracci adapted the stories for the Farnese Gallery in Rome as The Loves of the Gods. They met the requirements for source material to later art movements:

  1. Romanticism
  2. Symbolism
  3. Expressionism
  4. Surrealism

Books

  1. Creation of the world. "Metamorphoses" starts with the story of the end of original chaos, and a sequence of primordial events: separation of land from water, and the denser air from the light, fiery ether of the stratosphere. All members of the animal kingdom were created before Man. He describes the Ages of Man (1:89-150):
    1. Gold
    2. Silver
    3. Bronze
    4. Iron

    By Ovid's account, the world has descended into an Age of Iron. Gold is used as money and weapons are forged from iron. A flood covers the land surface, and when the waters retreat stones are cast in accordance with an oracle. The stones become a new race of people, who inherit the toughness of stone.

  2. Book II
    1. Phaethon, the son of the sun god. Description of The Palace of the Sun. The path of chariot of the sun is aligned with the signs of the Zodiac. The chariot's axle is gold, the tongue is gold, the tyres of the wheels are golden, and the spokes are made of silver.
    2. The Story of the raven. The crow was once a beautiful princess. The crow says it has learned its lesson in the hard way.
    3. Mercury takes advantage of Apollo's absence and steals his flock.
    4. Europa and Jupiter.
    5. Europa, queen of Crete.
  3. Book III
    1. King Agenor of Tyre sends out his sons in search of Europa, ordering them not to return until they have found their sister.
    2. Cadmus and the Dragon.
    3. Narcissus at the source. Tiresias warns about the dangers of letting Narcissus get to know himself. Narcissus was so handsome everyone loved and desired him, but Narcissus was too proud to offer his love in return.
    4. Echo and Narcissus.
    5. Worship of Bacchus, the god of wine.
  4. Book IV
    1. Danaë imprisoned in a tower by her father.
    2. Pyramus and Thisbe. Pyramus and Thisbe communicated with each other through a chink in the wall.
    3. Perseus saves Andromeda from the sea monster.
    4. Perseus changes sea-weed into coral.
  5. Pallas visits the fountain of Hippocrene at Helicon.
  6. Book VI
    1. The Spinners. The Fable of Minerva shows the competitive nature of the Goddess and her ability with a spinning wheel. Arachne and Minerva spin at a weaving contest.
    2. Origin of frogs.
    3. Procne, the daughter of the king of Athens.
  7. Book VII
    1. Jason and the Argonauts sail to Colchis to claim The Golden Fleece.
    2. Jason and Medea.
    3. War between Crete and Athens.
    4. Aurora and Cephalus. Cephalus is an accomplished hunter. Aurora is the goddess of dawn.
  8. Book VIII
    1. Minos builds the Labrynth.
    2. Theseus and the Minotaur.
    3. Bacchus and Ariadne. The Greek island of Naxos is the setting of this story.
  9. Book IX
    1. Achelous the river god fights Hercules.
    2. Hercules fights the giant lion of Nemea.
  10. Book X
    1. Ixion's wondering wheel of fire.
    2. Atalanta had been warned by the oracle not to marry, and so whenever a suitor came asking for her hand, she challenged him to a race.
    3. Atalanta and Hippomenes are transformed into lions.
    4. Pygmalion, king of Cyprus.
  11. Book XI
    1. Bacchus travels to the land of Thrace.
    2. Halcyone. Metamorphoses of Ceyx and his wife into birds.
    3. Building the Walls of Troy.
  12. Book XII
    1. The Greeks pursue the shepherd Paris.
    2. Nestor tells the story of the Centauromachy. The Battle of the Lapiths with the Centaurs.
  13. Book XIII
    1. The Burning of Troy.
    2. Polyphemus innamorata.
  14. Book XIV
    1. Circe Invidiosa. Circe casts magic spells so as to ensnare an unwitting rival.
    2. The transformation of Scylla into rock
    3. The foundation of a colony in central Italy by Aeneas and followers.
    4. Vertumnus and Pomona.
  15. The Greek philosopher Pythagoras provides an account of his wandering through the stars, and provides a brief narrative history from the Golden Age of Man to the time of the Emperor Augustus. In the Golden Age birds fly in the air and hares wander through fields. Envy of the lion hunting and feasting on prey leads to killing of animals. Pigs and goats are killed for interrupting agricultural activities. Cities fall and rise, and Ancient Rome becomes the centre of the world. Jupiter, king of the Roman pantheon, is present at the deification of Julius Caesar.
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Image of Reading Ovid: Stories from the Metamorphoses (Cambridge Intermediate Latin Readers)
Author: Peter Jones
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (2007)
Binding: Hardcover, 282 pages