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

File:Hans Rottenhammer - Venus und Mars (Rijksmuseum).jpg
Venus and Mars: Wikimedia
This is a continuation of my Reading Notes for Ovid’s epic poem based on Greek mythology, Metamorphoses, Books 1-4. Unlike my previous notes for these books, I had actually heard of the first three of the four stories that I have provided notes for. The first is Echo, which I learned about in one of my French courses, and this tale is followed directly by its companion, Narcissus. The third story is Pyramus and Thisbe, which many are probably familiar with, as it is used in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Lastly, I read Mars and Venus. I expected this one to be a longer tale, because it is about a love affair that I expected to be tricky. However, it was the shortest reading that I have provided notes for from the Metamorphoses. Each story in the collection deals with an aspect of transformation or shapeshifting. I like to take notes by lists, and have marked the transformations I noticed, as well as important themes and mythological characters. I thought it was highly interesting how Ovid’s work inspired those such as Shakespeare to create masterpieces like Romeo and Juliet. I liked that the stories are short and concise, and that they are divided into small chapters with useful titles.

Echo
  • Dionysus = “Twice born”, born from mother Semele and of Jupiter’s thigh
  • Themes - Prophecy to be fulfilled, unrequited love, rejection, pride, narcissism
  • Echo can only repeat what others have just said as a curse from Juno
  • Transformation - Echo leaves her body behind in sadness from rejection and is only a voice
  • Origin story of “echo”

Narcissus
  • Origin of “narcissist”
  • Rhamnusia grants request to punish Narcissus
  • Theme - Pride, unrequited love, narcissism
    • Before, Echo’s love was unrequited by Narcissus. Now, Narcissus’ unrequited love is for himself
  • Transformation - Narcissus is turned into white flower with yellow heart
Pyramus and Thisbe
  • A mock-play in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
  • Similar plot to Romeo and Juliet
  • Themes - Impossible love, tragedy
  • Transformation and origin - The lovers died by a mulberry tree whose berries were originally white. Now, they are blackish-red when ripened because of the lovers’ blood.
Mars and Venus

  • A much shorter tale than the rest
  • God Vulcan (Hephaestus) is married to Venus
  • Venus is having an affair with god of war, Mars
  • Vulcan skilled in metalwork
  • Themes - affair, revenge, embarrassment
  • Hard to place a transformation, but Venus and Mars’ affair became the “best-known story in all of the heavens” for a time

Ovid. Metamorphoses. 8 AD.

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