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Delahoyde & Hughes
Orpheus
OVID
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QUIZ:
Numa and Myscelus:
Pythagoras:
Numa Returns:
Hippolytus:
Egeria is not soothed by the story. She weeps by the base of a mountain
and turns into a fountain there.
Cipus:
Asculapius:
The Deification of Caesar:
Epilogue:
1) Besides the Pythagorean Theorem of mathematics, what else did
Pythagoras teach? Ovid says, "He was the first to say that...?"
vegetarianism / animal rights (3)
2) Besides his murder, what does Ovid discuss as having happened
ultimately to Julius Caesar?
reincarnation / metempsychosis (3)
the earth as an organism / our interconnectedness with it (3)
music of the spheres / spontaneous generation (1)
deification / became star in heaven (or constellation) (3)
3) Now you're done with Metamorphoses. Now what do you think
Ovid's point may have been? (4)
lives on in son Augustus (3)
lives on (1)
inspired us all, turned into a bird (0)
no forced morality
not enough to say "change" is theme
yes, interconnectedness, environmental appreciation [see Final Perspective]
King Numa (in the Roman line of kings) travels about and is told how
Hercules saved Myscelus at his trial by turning the black pebbles,
signifying the votes of "guilty," into white pebbles. Myscelus' travels
afterwards bring us to a town associated with Pythagoras.
Ovid goes out of his way to spend a significant amount of space on this
philosopher in the final book of his masterpiece (354-366). See this
special section on Pythagoras.
We return to hearing about King Numa who came back and taught his people
the ways of peaceful living. Ovid implies that he was influenced by
Pythagoreanism. Numa's death brings about much grief on the part of his
widow Egeria. She is told the story of Hippolytus.
Phaedra, Hippolytus' step-mother, tried to seduce him. When he rejected
her she accused him of the illicit overtures so that dad cursed and
banished Hippolytus. A roaring sea phenomenon spooked his horses and his
chariot crashed, dashing him into pieces so that he became "all one huge
wound" (367). One of Apollo's sons resurrected him though, and Diana
changed his appearance. He is now renamed Virbius, "The Twice-Born Man."
With the slimmest connection, "No less amazed was Cipus," we zip
into the story of this guy who saw horns growing on his head when he
looked at his reflection. He makes an offering of sheep -- "sought /
The guidance of the victim's twitching guts" (369) -- so that augurs
can study the entrails (despite Pythagoras some few pages ago). His
horns are hidden by laurels, but he reveals the embarrassment and so
feels he must reject honors in Rome.
A complete break, instead of even a strained connection, and a separate
invocation brings the story of Apollo's son Asculapius who, when appealed
to, adopts the appearance of a golden serpent and alleviates Latium of
its pestilence. We hear about the slaying of bulls as sacrificial
offerings (373), again despite Pythagoras some pages ago. Good times are
characterized by "The scent of crackling incense filled the air / And
victims warmed the knife of sacrifice" (374).
The work winds down with a tribute to Julius Caesar, the newest star in
the heavens since he has been deified. His adopted son, Augustus Caesar,
is now Emperor or Rome. Venus tried to stop Julius Caesar's
assassination, or slaughter, but it was fated. All nature sensed the
horror and weird omens burst out. Jove reasons with Venus by telling
her of the future glories of Rome under Augustus.
Now stands my task accomplished, such a work
Is it intentionally ironic that after an entire fifteen books
insisting on the fact that everything changes, Ovid finally says:
except this!
As not the wrath of Jove,nor fire nor sword
Nor the devouring ages can destroy. (379)
Ovid knows that he too will die one day.
. . . Yet I'll be borne
Even this final cheeky claim to immortality of the poet contains
the ambiguous "If." But again, Ovid ironically makes himself the
exception to his own cosmological vision.
The finer part of me, above the stars,
Immortal, and my name shall never die.
Wherever through the lands beneath her sway
The might of Rome extends, my words shall be
Upon the lips of men. If truth at all
Is stablished by poetic prophecy,
My fame shall live to all eternity.
Orpheus: Roman Mythology