Ovid's Metamorphoses
Deucalion and Pyrrha: Jupiter (Zeus) and Neptune (Poseidon) cause a flood that turns all land to sea. Deucalion and Pyrrha survived the flood and Jupiter saw their innocence and had Neptune calm the floods. Deucalion is saddened when he discovers that he and his wife are the only two humans left and he then questions her loyalty to him by asking her what she would have done had she been the only one saved from the floods. The first part of this story reminded me of Noah, but now it's starting to sound more like Adam and Eve. When the goddess told them to throw the bones of their mother behind them, they believe those bones to refer to the stones of the earth. I really like that parallel. When the threw the rocks behind them, they turned into people. "So the toughness of our race, our ability to endure hard labour, and the proof we give of the source from which we are sprung." This would make a great storytelling post by using a son visiting his grandparents and complaining about having to work hard on their farm. The Grandmother can tell this story to her grandson.
Lo: Lo was a woman of beauty enough to catch the eye of Jupiter. She ran from him and he caught and raped her. Juno, Jupiter's wife looked for him and when she found him, he had just turned Lo into a cow to hide her identity. Since Jupiter is known for being unfaithful, Juno had an idea that the cow was a really a woman. So Juno asked for the cow as a gift. Lo flees to her family for help upon learning of her new form. In the end, she returns to her natural form.
Phaethon and the Sun: Phaethon was son of the Sun, although he was not claimed. He had to ask him mother forcefully if he truly was the son of the Sun. Phaethon goes to the Sun gods temple to seek him and is welcomed by his father. Phaethon asks for his father's chariot - uh oh. His father warns of the dangers of riding the chariot.
Phaethon's Ride: Phaethon let his quest to be high and mighty cloud his judgement. As I had assumed the task of controlling the horses was too much for him and he dropped the reins from fear. Classic example of a child not heading a parents warning and having to learn a life lesson themselves (although it's a but more complicated in this case!). The earth caught fire as a result and Earth was confused by why she was being punished.
The Death of Phaethon: I love the way the author wrote this phrase, "...his right hand threw it from eye-level at the charioteer, removing him, at the same moment, from the chariot and from life, extinguishing fire with fierce fire." Phaethon's sisters spent so much time grieving over him that they turned to trees. Sometimes when a life is ended, we must learn how to move on so that we are not forever stuck in our grief. The Sun god mourns his loss and blames Jupiter.
Callisto: Go figure that Jupiter against allows his lust to control him and falls in love with and rapes the nymph, Callisto. Jupiter had impregnated her and she was shunned by the goddess, Diana for her lack of purity. Instead of placing the blame on Jupiter, Juno punishes Callisto by turning her into a bear. Jupiter made Callisto and her son, Arcas into constellations, "the Great and Little Bear."
Semele: Again, Jupiter could not stay faithful, and sought companionship with another women, whom he again impregnated. Juno believes that she will be frowned upon by others if she does not punish Semele for baring Jupiter's child. Semele ended up punishing herself for wishing for something that was too great for her to handle in the midst of greed.
Echo: Echo lost her ability to speak normally because she used to be the one who kept Venus occupied while the other nymphs ran off after a time with Jupiter. When Juno became aware of this, she took Echo's ability to speak normally away and can now only repeat the last words of someone else. The way the author played on Narcissus's words and Echo's repeating phrases was fun to read.
Narcissus: Narcissus become thirsty and, "While he desires to quench his thirst, a different thirst is created." Narcissus discovers himself and is disheartened when that love he seeks cannot be obtained. Echo is sad for Narcissus's pain mirroring the same feelings someone in modern day has when the one they love does not want them and they only wish that person happiness. Narcissus turns into a flower.
Pyramus and Thisbe: The more you cannot have something, the more you want it. The two lovers planned to meet in secret. Pyramus comes to the meeting spot at thinks that Thisbe is dead, so he kills himself from guilt and depression. Of course, Thisbe find Pyramus this way and kills herself out of love as well.
Mars and Venus: Venus and Mars were having an affair, so her husband - being the craftsman he is - devised a contraption that caught them in their unfaithful act. The husband. Vulcan puts the couple on display as punishment.
Perseus and Andromeda: Perseus turned Altas into Mount Atlas using Medusa's head after being refused hospitality. Perseus rescues Andromeda and demands her hand from her parents as reward.
Perseus and Medusa: Perseus is faced by a dangerous sea serpent, which he eventually defeats. He then frees and marries Andromeda. Perseus tells of how he defeated Medusa and how her head now adorns the shield belonging to Athena.
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