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Delahoyde & Hughes
Orpheus
OVID
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Perseus:
In Book IV, Perseus cut a deal with King Cepheus and Queen Cassiope;
they accepted a pact and promised their daughter in marriage to Perseus
if he freed her from the chains of the monster. Perseus saved Andromache,
a woman betrothed to Phineus, King Cepheus' brother. So in Book V, Phineus
is ready for violence. King Cepheus points out that he was not the one to
save Andromache from the monster of the sea: he did nothing to try to
save Andromeda. King Cepheus asks Phineus how he can now outcry against
her marriage to Perseus when Perseus is the man who rescued her from death.
Phineus' rage persists and he strikes out at Perseus with his spear. He
misses. Perseus retrieves the spear and fires it back, missing the
scrambling Phineus and hitting the face of Rhoetus. Violence and
bloodshed result. Perseus is a formidable warrior but he is eventually
hemmed in by Phineus and a thousand of his men. Perseus says,"You have
compelled me to this step; from my own enemy I must seek help." He raises
the Gorgon's head (104). "Two hundred saw that head and turned to stone"
(105). Phineus half-apologizes, but Perseus mercilessly shoves Medusa's
head into his face.
Minerva and the Muses:
We learn of the wonders of Pegasus and a challenge to the Muses. We hear
about the gods disguising themselves as animals at one point (109). Ovid
also supplies the story of Proserpine (in Greek, Persephone),
her abduction by Pluto (Hades) when shot by Cupid, and the search
conducted by her mother Ceres (Demeter). Unfortunately, Proserpine
had eaten some pomegranate seeds in the underworld, and so can be only
partially saved.
Arethusa is chased, naked, and turns into a sacred spring.
Etiologically, we hear of the origin of newts (113), owls
(115-116), the lynx (119), and magpies (119-120).
Ovid Index
Orpheus: Roman Mythology