Reading Notes: Ovid's Metamorphoses, Books 1-4

The story of the flood is represented in Greek mythology also! Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha land on Mount Parnassus, and successfully repopulate the species via tossing stones behind them. I wonder how many of the early civilizations have flood myths. Both Jupiter and Triton (Zeus and Poseidon) bring down the torrent, while Themis (a Titaness, goddess of oracles, justice, and reverence for the deities) take pity on the last living man and woman. I do think it's interesting that Prometheus is related to both Deucalion and his wife Pyrrha, and wonder if that factor influenced both their virtue and related survival. 

Io is really just another chapter in the "Jupiter (Zeus) is a randy horn-dog with no self-control" series. Argus could make for a great story in a modern retelling, and I'm fairly sure that name has been synonymous with security ever after. 

Argus. Pinterest

The tragedy of Callisto! An elite maiden in the company of Diana (Artemis) brought low by Jupiter, disgraced and abandoned and transformed into a bear. The ONLY redemption in this awful tale springs from Jupiter's pity on the verge of Arcas' impending matricide. The worst part about this story is the undeniable modern parallels with rape victims and their children. This is the first instance in the Metamorphoses of constellation creation, which could be a really fun story regarding the birth of the stars. 

The birth of Bacchus: aka Semele is destroyed by Juno's hatred, and is tricked into asking Jupiter for demonstrating his true power to "prove" his identity. She is utterly destroyed, while her unborn child is implanted within Jupiter's thigh to finish developing. 

Juno's bitterness from Jupiter's infidelity spawned a lot of hurt for his female companions; her wrath adds insult to injury, especially situations where he took them by force. The Greeks really didn't see their gods as perfect or moral, but rather much more human. 

Bibleography

Kline, Tony. Ovid's Metamorphoses. Books 1-4