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Nomen______________________________Dies___________________
Selections from Ovid’s Metamorphoses:
Reading Guide
Introductory Comment
about the Metamorphoses: Similar
to Homer in the Iliad & the Odyssey and to Vergil in the
Aeneid, Ovid opens his epic with a short proem, or introduction, which
outlines the subject of the Metamorphoses. There is a distinct
difference, however, between these traditional epics and Ovid’s work. Each
traditional epic focused on a particular aspect of a central hero: the
indignant rage of Achilles, the crafty cunning of Odysseus, the divine
mission of Aeneas. In contrast, there is no central hero in the
Metamorphoses; the poem covers includes over a hundred stories with
hundreds of characters. To tie together his series of short stories, Ovid
uses the theme of ‘transformation.’ The importance of this theme is
indicated in the title itself: metamorphoses is a Greek compound
word meaning ‘change (meta-) of shape (morph-).’ Each story
contains some element of change. Ovid states that his poem will run ‘from
the world’s beginnings to our own days,’ and so the Metamorphoses
begins with the origin of the world (a change of ‘chaos’ to ‘order’ at the
start of Book 1) and concludes with the death of Julius Caesar (a change of
‘man’ to ‘comet’ at the close of Book 15).
Story
#1: The Flood (start of Book 1)
1. What is the poet’s
intention (lines 1-4)? Here is the opening
in the original Latin: In nova fert animus mūtātās dīcere formās /
corpora.
The Flood – Creation:
In the opening story, Ovid describes how the
‘blind confusion’ of the universe is changed to ‘eternal order.’
2. What was the name of
the ‘shapelessness’ before the existence of ocean/earth/heaven (5-7)?
3. Who/What brought order
to the ‘blind confusion’ (22-27)? Ovid
identifies this ‘creator’ in various ways: deus, melior fortūna,
and mundī fabricātor.
4. Identify the east, west,
north, and south winds who ‘come near tearing the universe apart’ (60-67).
5. What made ‘Man’
different from the other animals (81-82)?
The Flood – The Four
Ages: Ovid describes the
transformation of Man from the paradise of the Golden Age to the rampant
evil of the Iron Age. This metamorphosis and others to follow have a change
in character, not in physical shape. The birth of man at the close of the
‘creation’ story provides a transition to these different stages of
mankind. With each successive Age (Gold to Silver to Bronze to Iron),
mankind becomes more corrupt and evil.
6. List 4 different
features of the Golden Age during the reign of Saturn (83-106).
The ‘bronze tablets’ mentioned at the bottom
of p.5 allude to the Twelve Tables. Created in 451-450 BC, the Tables were
the first published collection of Roman law.
7. Name 3 changes which
occurred in the Silver Age during the reign of Jove (107-119).
The text refers to the king of the gods as
‘Jove,’ because Iōv- is the base of his Latin name Iuppiter.
This base is the root of the adjective ‘jovial,’ meaning ‘happy,
good-spirited.’
8. List 4 features of the
Iron Age (122-147).
9a, 9b. (a) How did the
Giants attack the gods, and (b) what happened to these Giants (148-158)?
These Giants were Otus & Ephialtes, twin
sons of Poseidon. There were called the Aloadae, the ‘sons of Aloeus,’
because he was their mortal father. For this attack upon the Olympian gods,
Otus & Ephialtes were put in Tartarus and bound by snakes to a pillar.
The Flood – Intro to Flood
10. Why did Jove decide
not to use his thunderbolts to destroy Man (159-165)?
The Flood – The Flood
Itself: Because of the wickedness
of mankind, Jupiter destroys the human race with a flood. There are a
number of ‘transformations’ here: the earth becomes an enormous sea with a
shoreline; Jupiter changes his mind and saves Deucalion & Pyrrha (another
example of a change in character, not physical shape); and the stones are
transformed into humans.
11. Quote 3 phrases
describing the South-wind (Notus), which Jove turned loose upon the world
(170-179).
12. How did Neptune help
his brother Jove (183-192)?
13. In addition to
orchards, grain, cattle, men, and houses, what else was swept away by the
storm (192-195)?
14. During the flood, what
did the Nereids look at ‘with curious wonder’ (210-218)?
The 50 Nereids are goddesses of the sea who,
according to Ovid, have spent all of their lives in the water and thus are
ignorant of the land and its features. The word ‘Nereid’ means ‘daughter of
Nereus.’ It is part of the epic tradition to identify a person by a
father/ancestor; this alternate name is called a patronymic (from the
Greek roots patr-, ‘father,’ and onym-, ‘name’). Examples
include Pelides (son of Peleus) for Achilles, Saturnia (daughter of Saturn)
for Juno, and Atlantides (grandson of Atlas) for Mercury.
The Flood – Deucalion and
Pyrrha
15. What was the only mountain not
covered by the flood waters (225-228)?
16. Quote the 3 lines which
describe Deucalion & Pyrrha (232-234).
Deucalion is the son of Prometheus, the creator of Mankind from clay, and
Pyrrha is the daughter of Epimetheus (the brother of Prometheus) and
Pandora.
17. How did Triton signal
the waters to retreat (246-249)?
18. Quote the oracle given
by the goddess Themis (290-292). Themis
(‘Order’) is a Titaness and the mother of Prometheus & Epimetheus and thus
the grandmother of Deucalion & Pyrrha. She gave oracles at Delphi before
the arrival of Apollo.
19. The stones thrown by
Deucalion & Pyrrha repopulated the earth with people, but who produced the
other creatures of the land (432-436)?
20. How did the Pythian
games, in honor of Apollo, get their name (437-450)?
There were 4 ancient Panhellenic
(‘all-Greek’) games held once every 4 years: the Olympian games (in honor
of Zeus), the Pythian games (in honor of Apollo), the Isthmian games (in
honor of Poseidon), and the Nemean games (in honor of Zeus).
Story
#2: Apollo and Daphne (Book 1)
Introductory Comment:
The story of Apollo & Daphne formally ends the opening section of the
Metamorphoses. The first few stories (the Creation, the Four Ages, the
Flood, Deucalion & Pyrrha) all are thematically connected to the beginnings
of the world, with one story following logically from the next. Ovid now
turns to the transformation of Daphne into the laurel tree. The transition
to this story is very quick: after the flood, the earth produces creatures,
one of which is the Python; Apollo kills the Python and establishes the
Pythian games, whose victors all receive a crown of oak; the mention of oak
crown compels Ovid to comment ‘that was before the laurel, that was before
Apollo wreathed his forehead with garlands from that tree, or any other.’
The story of Daphne then follows.
1. Why did Apollo mock
Cupid (456-467)?
2. What was the difference
between the golden arrows and the leaden arrows of Cupid (471-479)?
3. What promise did Peneus
grant to his daughter Daphne (484-495)?
4. Give 4 duties which the
god Apollo mentions about himself (529-543).
5. What images describes
Apollo chasing Daphne (550-555)?
6. What remained of Daphne
after she became a laurel tree (563-568)?
The Greek word daphne means ‘laurel tree.’
7. Who else did Apollo
declare will wear the laurel wreath (575-578)?
Story #3: Jove and Io (Book 1)
Introductory Comment:
The transition from ‘Apollo & Daphne’ to ‘Jove & Io’ is achieved through the
fathers of these nymphs. The river-god Peneus is consoled for the loss of
his daughter Daphne by all the other river-gods. The only one missing is
Inachus, who is worried about his own daughter Io. There are a number of
transformations in this story: Io is changed first into a heifer and then
into an Egyptian goddess; Argus’ eyes are placed upon the feathers of the
peacock; and the nymph Syrinx is changed into a bed of reeds. Mercury’s
story about the invention of the Pan-pipe is a ‘story within a story,’
another method which Ovid uses to include material in his epic poem.
1. What aroused the
suspicion of Juno (624-633)?
2. Why did Jove agree to
give Juno the heifer/Io (639-649)?
3. What made Argus such a
good guard (650-658)?
4. How did Inachus finally
recognize that the heifer is his daughter Io (675-685)?
5. Why did Inachus say, ‘It
hurts to be a god!’ (681-693)?
6. What instrument of
Mercury (disguised as a shepherd) caught the attention of Argus (704-708)?
7a,7b. Mercury’s story to
Argus (720-746): (a) Name the nymph who wanted to remain a virgin. (b)
Name the ‘pine-wreathed’ god who chased her.
Ovid has Mercury tell the story of Syrinx &
Pan. The Greek word syrinx means ‘reed, Pan-pipe.’ To quicken the
pace of the story, ‘Mercury broke off the story’ and merely summarized the
remainder of the tale. This is an example how Ovid varies the style of his
narrative to keep the reader engaged.
8. What effect did the
story of the pipe’s invention have on Argus (747-750)?
9. How did Mercury kill
Argus (750-753)?
10. What did Juno do with
the 100 eyes of Argus (756-758)?
11. With Argus now dead,
what did Juno send to harass Io (759-761)?
In the traditional version of Io’s story, Juno sent down a horsefly.
12. Who is the son of Io &
Jove (780-783)?
Story
#4: Phaethon (end of Book 1 – start of Book 2)
Introductory Comment:
Ovid begins this story at the close of Book 1 and finishes it in the opening
of Book 2. This ‘spilling-over’ of a story from one book to the next is
typical of Metamorphoses. It is a distinct and conscious departure
from the rigid structure and unity of the individual books in the
traditional epic poems (especially the Aeneid).
At the end of the story of
‘Jove & Io,’ Ovid mentioned that Epaphus was their son. This provides the
transition to Phaethon, since the two boys were close friends. Epaphus
became tired of Phaethon’s boast about his divine father the Sun-god and
accused him of having a ‘phony father.’ This prompts Phaethon to demand
that his mother Clymene give him proof that his father was the Sun-god. She
tells her son to go to his palace in the east & ‘ask him yourself!’ The
story of Phaethon explains the existence of deserts (land burned by the
chariot of the Sun-god), poplar trees & amber (the sisters of Phaethon &
their tears), and the swan (the transformation of Cygnus).
[NB: The ‘Sun-god’ of this
story is the Sun itself. Ovid identifies him as Sōl (‘the Sun’ =
Greek Helios) or Phoebus (‘the Shining One’); it is not
Apollo.]
Phaethon – Beginning
of the Story (end of Book 1)
1. What complaint did
Phaethon make to his mother Clymene (792-798)?
2. What are the final words
of Clymene’s reply to her son Phaethon (812-813)?
Phaethon – The Story
of Phaethon (start of Book 2))
3. List 4 images which
Vulcan had carved on the silver doors of the Sun-god’s palace (5-20).
4. List 4 of the attendants
of the Sun-god (26-34).
5. What river did the
Sun-god call upon as witness to his promise (50-55)?
6. For what did Phaethon
immediately ask (56-58)?
7. Why did the Sun-god
mention Jove, the most powerful of the gods (68-74)?
*(92-100) The journey of the chariot of the Sun-god
passes through many dangers, including some of the signs of the zodiac:
Taurus the Bull, Sagittarius the Archer, Leo the Lion, Scorpio the Scorpion,
and Cancer the Crab.
8. What did the
Sun-god say was ‘the most convincing proof that I am your father’ (104-109)?
9. What did the
Sun-god advise about the proper course between the sky and earth (149-152)?
The Latin is mediō tūtissimus ībis.
10. What image
describes how ‘the bright chariot tosses and bounds, as if there were no
driver’ (180-183)?
11. How did Phaethon
react when he looked down upon the lands far below (197-202)?
12. What happened
when Phaethon dropped the reins (222-230)?
*(240-250, 262-279) With the list of over 20
mountains and 20 rivers, Ovid demonstrates that he is a doctus poēta
(learned poet) with his geographical knowledge and one with much ars
(skill) because of his ability to fit the variety of proper names into the
rhythm of the poetry.
13. According to
Ovid, why do the people of Africa have black skin (258-262)?
14. Who made an
emotional plea to Jove to stop the fiery destruction (293-328)?
15. How did Jove end
the flight of Phaethon (333-345)?
16. How did his
father, the Sun-god, react to Phaethon’s death (358-360)? Phaethon
plunged into the Po river in northern Italy.
17a,17b. The
sisters of Phaethon (usually called the Hēliades, ‘the daughters of
Helios/Sun-god’) were transformed into poplar trees.
(a) Into what were their tears changed, and (b) how did Roman brides use
them (395-400)?
18. Into what animal
was Cygnus, the cousin of Phaethon, transformed (401-414)?
Story
#5: Cadmus (start of Book 3)
Introductory Comment: The story of Phaethon
begins Book 2, and the disappearance of Europa ends Book 2. Jove, in the
form of a bull, had abducted Europa. This abduction provides the transition
to the next story. Agenor, the father of Europa & Cadmus, ordered Cadmus to
find his sister, but Cadmus was unable to find her (the bull/Jove had taken
her to the island Crete). He was then instructed by the oracle of Apollo at
Delphi to found a new city. Cadmus eventually founded the city Thebes. In
this story, the dragon’s teeth sown in the ground are transformed into armed
warriors.
1. Where did the
bull/Jove take Europa (1-3)? Europa had 3 children with Jove: Minos
(king of Crete and later a Judge in the Underworld with Rhadymanthus &
Aeacus), Rhadymanthus (a Judge in the Underworld with Minos & Aeacus), and
Sarpedon.
2. When Agenor
ordered Cadmus to find Europa, what did he threaten ‘as a punishment for
failure’ (3-9)? Agenor was the king of Sidon in ancient Phoenicia (=
modern Lebanon, north of Israel, on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean
Sea).
3. What did the
oracle of Apollo instruct Cadmus to do (13-19)? The oracle of Apollo
begins with the word bōs (‘heifer’), and this word is at the root of
‘Boeotia,’ the name which Cadmus is instructed to give to the land.
4. What did Cadmus
order his attendants to find after he had found the proper place for his new
city (30-34)?
5. What creature
killed the attendants of Cadmus (37-57)?
6. Quote the strange
prophecy which Cadmus hears while he gazes at his victim (99-103).
The Latin for this prophecy is: quid, Agēnore nāte, peremptum /
serpentem spectās? et tū spectābere serpens (3.97-8).
This prophecy is later fulfilled in Book 4, when Ovid describes the
end of Cadmus.
7. What orders did
Minerva given to Cadmus (104-109)? In his quest for the Golden
Fleece, Jason also had to perform this same task.
8. What happened
after Cadmus planted the teeth in the ground (110-119)?
9. Why did Cadmus not
join the fight among the earth-born men (120-124)?
10. How many warriors
were left after the fight among the ‘earth-born men’ (127-136)?
These remaining warriors were called Spartoi, a Greek word meaning
‘Planted-Men’ (a reference to their unusual birth from dragon’s teeth
planted in the ground).
11. What city did
Cadmus build with the Spartoi, the earth-born men who survived the fight
(137)?
Story
#6: Narcissus & Echo (end of Book 3)
Introductory Comment: The popular story of
Echo & Narcissus begins with a prophecy from Tiresias, the most famous of
the ancient prophets. Tiresias had been struck blind by Juno, but was given
the power of prophecy by Jove. After the prophecy about Narcissus, Ovid
tells the story of Echo and the cause of her unusual speech impediment.
Eventually, Echo is transformed in both her voice and her appearance, and
Narcissus is changed into a flower.
1. Quote the answer
of Tiresias when Liriope asked whether her son Narcissus ‘would ever live to
a ripe old age’ (189-193). The Latin for his response is sī sē
nōn nōverit. This is the first of many reflexive pronouns which Ovid
uses throughout this story to emphasize Narcissus’ obsession with himself.
2. For what crime did
Juno restrict Echo’s power of speech (165-181)?
3. What did Narcissus
say when Echo attempted to embrace him (203-204)?
4. The voice of Echo
lived on, but what happened to her body (208-215)?
5. Quote the prayer
of the (unnamed) rejected lover of Narcissus (220-222). This prayer
is made to Nemesis, the goddess of retribution and punishment. Nemesis
punished those who were filled with excessive pride. The English word
‘nemesis’ now means ‘an arch rival, a tough opponent.’
6. With what did
Narcissus fall in love (229-237)?
7. What 2 brief
images describe the strength of Narcissus slowly fading away (321-229)?
8. What was the
eternal fate of Narcissus in the Underworld (338-339)?
9. Into what was the
body of Narcissus transformed (340-345)? The scientific name for the
daffodil is ‘narcissus.’
Story
#7: Pyramus & Thisbe (start of Book 4)
Introductory Comment:
This is the story about the tragic deaths of
2 young lovers. The blood from Pyramus turned the color of the mulberry
fruit from white to red. This tale was the inspiration for Shakespeare’s
Romeo and Juliet.
1. Why didn’t Pyramus &
Thisbe marry each other (9-12)? The 2
families were next-door neighbors in Babylon, which Ovid calls the
‘brick-walled city built by Semiramis.’
2. How did Pyramus & Thisbe
communicate with each other (15-32)?
3. Quote the lines which
describe where the 2 lovers planned to meet to make their escape (41-44).
4. Why did Thisbe leave the
meeting place and hide in a nearby cave (50-57)?
5. What did Thisbe drop as
she ran to the cave (56-61)?
6. Why did Pyramus kill
himself (61-77)?
7. What image describes
the blood gushing from Pyramus’ wound (78-84)?
8. What 2 dying prayers of
Thisbe were fulfilled by her parents & the gods (118-131)?
Story #8: Arachne (start of Book 6)
Introductory Comment: The last half of Book 5
involved a singing contest between the immortal Muses and the arrogant
Pierides, who were turned into chattering birds. Book 6 opens with
Minerva’s own story of an arrogant mortal, Arachne. In this story, Arachne
is transformed into a spider for her arrogance towards the goddess Minerva.
1.
Quote the lines which describe what Minerva had heard about the Arachne
(7-9). Arachne was the daughter of Idmon and lived in the town
Hypaepa in the region of Lydia in Asia Minor.
2. What did Arachne
reply to the suggestion that Minerva was her teacher (26-30)?
Minerva was the goddess of arts & crafts (including weaving) as well as of
wisdom & war.
3. Quote the last
lines of the old woman/Minerva’s speech to Arachne (37-41). Minerva
here offers Arachne a chance to take back her arrogant boast.
4. What image
describes the blushing & paling of Arachne when Minerva revealed herself to
the girl (52-57)?
5. What scene did
Minerva weave as the centerpiece of her tapestry (73-84)? In each of
the 4 corners, Minerva showed the punishment of mortals who had the
arrogance to challenge the power of the gods. These small scenes are all
warnings to respect the gods.
6. For her tapestry,
‘Arachne also worked in the gods, and their deceitful business with mortal
girls.’ Name 4 of the gods whose affairs with mortals were included in
Arachne’s tapestry (107-138).
7. What flaw were
Minerva and Envy (= Līvor) able to find in Arachne’s tapestry
(139-140)?
8. How did Arachne
die (140-145)? Minerva then took pity upon Arachne and transformed
her into a spider (= Latin arānea). Today, 8-legged creatures like
the spider, scorpion, and tick are called ‘arachnids.’ The Greek word
arachne (= a)ra/xnh) means
‘spider.’
Story #9:
Baucis & Philemon (middle of Book 8)
Introductory Comment: The story of Baucis and
Philemon is told to prove the power of the gods. Jupiter and Mercury
disguise themselves as mortals to test the kindness of humans. Baucis and
her husband Philemon are old and poor, but they are the only ones who agreed
to take in the traveling strangers. The focus of the story is on the humble
dinner which the couple serves to the gods. There are many transformations
in this story: the gods become mortals; the wine miraculously refills
itself; the town is flooded; the cottage becomes a temple; the couple goes
from poor to rich; and the couple is transformed into trees.
1. Name the 2 trees
which stand next to each other (1-2).
2. How many houses
rejected Jupiter and Mercury, both disguised as mortal travelers (8-13)?
Jupiter was the god of hospitality, and Mercury was the god of
travelers. They were testing the goodness of humans.
3. Use 3 words to
describe the wife Baucis and her husband Philemon (13-23).
4a,4b. (a) What was
wrong with the dinner table, and (b) how did Baucis fix the problem (50-51)?
5. List 6 of the
foods offered at the dinner (51-69).
6. What unusual thing
happened to the mixing-bowl of wine (70-73)?
7. What animal did
Baucis and Philemon attempt to sacrifice to the gods in their cottage
(76-83)?
8. What happened to
all the town except the home of Baucis and Philemon (88-93)?
9. What happened to
the cottage of the old couple (93-100)?
10. What were the 2
wishes which the old couple requested from the gods (107-113)?
11. What were the
last words which the couple spoke to each other (114-121)?
Story #10:
Erisychthon (end of Book 8)
Introductory Comment: Erisychthon was an
arrogant king who did not respect the gods, and this story tells of his
awful punishment. The story contains a vivid description of the goddess
Famine, the personification of hunger. Transformations in this story
include: the shape-shifting of Erisychthon’s daughter; the change of the
grove from living to dead; the insatiable hunger of Erisychthon; and the
change of Erisychthon from ‘a consumer of food’ to ‘the food itself.’
1. What tree was
centuries old, sacred to Ceres, and loved by the nymphs of the grove
(146-156)?
2. What happened when
Erisychthon cut into the sacred tree (156-167)?
3. What did
Erisychthon do to the man who tried to stop him from cutting down the tree
(168-170)?
4. Quote the last
words which the nymph who inhabited the sacred tree spoke to Erisychthon
(175)?
5. What did the
nymphs demand from Ceres, the goddess of the grove (181-182)?
6. Why didn’t Ceres
herself visit Famine, the goddess of hunger (185-191)?
7. What was the
command which the nymph was to deliver to Famine (197-200)?
8. Give 3 phrases
which describe the goddess Famine (205-223).
9. After the visit
from Famine, of what did Erisychthon dream (235-241)?
10. What did
Erisychthon do with all of his riches and treasures (246-252)?
11. Who did
Erisychthon sell to get more money for food (248-253)?
12. How did the
daughter of Erisychthon escape from the man who had bought her (254-265)?
13. How did
Erisychthon meet his death (273-276)?
Story #11:
Orpheus: Eurydice and his Death (parts of Books 10 & 11)
Introductory Comment: Orpheus, the mortal son
of one of the Muses, was famous for his music with the lyre. It is said
that his music could enchant wild animals and even compel rocks and trees to
move closer to his melodious sounds. Transformations include: Eurydice,
from life to death; Orpheus, from happy to sad; trees & rocks, from lifeless
objects to mobile creatures; the Maenads, from women to oaks.
1. How did Eurydice,
the new bride of Orpheus, die (8-12)?
(Hymen, the god of marriage, is mentioned at the
opening of the story. Hymen did not bring good luck to the new marriage,
and the marriage torches sputtering and smoking is a symbol of the bad luck
which is fated for Eurydice.)
2. Orpheus
plays his way down to Hades and Persephone, the king and queen of the
Underworld. What did Orpheus beg them to do (34-35)?
3. Who wept for the
first time ever because of the lovely music of Orpheus (52-53)?
4. What was the one
condition which was placed upon Orpheus for the return of Eurydice (57-59)?
5a,5b. (a) What did
Orpheus do when he was near the Upper World, and (b) what was the result of
this action (60-71)?
6. What happened when
Orpheus tried to cross the river Styx again (78-82)?
7. Name 4 things
which came to listen to the sad songs of Orpheus (93-116).
8. Who caused the
death of Orpheus (3, 25)? These women were the followers of Bacchus,
often called ‘Maenads’ or ‘Bacchae.’ They were angry at Orpheus because he
had rejected their love. Filled with the power of the god Bacchus, these
women had supernatural strength which enables them to rip apart their
enemies limb from limb with their bare hands.
9. Bacchus was
angered by the murder of Orpheus: into what did he transformed the Maenads
as punishment (74-89)?
Story #12:
Midas – Golden Touch & Donkey Ears (Book 11)
Introductory Comment: The story of Midas and
the Golden Touch is very famous, and it gives us the phrase ‘Midas touch’ or
‘golden touch.’ which now means the ability to make any business venture
successful and profitable. There is even a store, Midas Mufflers, which has
commercials telling customers to ‘Trust the Midas Touch!’ The main
transformations are Midas’ ability to make everything turn to gold and – in
the 2nd story about Midas – his new set of ears.
1. Who of Bacchus’
crowd was staggering about and eventually brought to Midas (94-96)?
2. How did Midas
treat his new guest (103-107)?
3. Quote the wish
which Midas made to Bacchus (111).
4. List 4 objects
which turned to gold when Midas touched them (114-127)?
5. What happened when
Midas tried to eat and drink (129-142)?
6. How did Midas rid
himself of the ‘golden touch’ (143-157)? This is the reason,
according to Ovid, that the Pactolus River in Asia Minor has gold deposits
in its sediment.
7. What instrument
did the nature god Pan play (165-167)? The origin of this musical
instrument was told by Mercury in the ‘Jupiter & Io’ story in Book 1.
8. Who was the judge
of the music contest between Pan and Apollo (168-176)?
9. Whom did the judge
declare to be the winner of the music contest (188-191)?
10. Whom did Midas
argue was the winner of the music contest (189-193)?
11. Who gave Midas
donkey ears so that he might hear better (193-200)?
12. Who was the only
person who knew about Midas’ donkey ears (200-205)?
13. What did the
reeds (where the secret of Midas’ ears had been revealed) whisper in the
wind (209-213)?
Story #13:
Galatea, Polyphemus, and Acis (start of Book 13)
Introductory Comment: There are 2 races of
Cyclopes, the 1-eyed creatures: the 3 children of Uranus & Gaea who were
craftsmen and the sons of Poseidon. Polyphemus was one of the sons of
Poseidon. The most famous story about Polyphemus is told in Homer’s
Odyssey: he eats some of Odysseus’ men, but is later blinded during the
escape of Odysseus. This story about Galatea & Acis takes place before
Odysseus (Ulysses) has arrived. It contains the comical ‘Song of
Polyphemus,’ in which he tries to win the love of Galatea. Transformations
include: Polyphemus, from filthy monster to love-struck suitor, and Acis,
from youth to water god.
Part 1 – The Story of Galatea
1a,1b. (a) Who was
the father of Galatea, and (b) where does Galatea therefore live (9-10)?
2. What 2 emotions of
Galatea were equal, with neither being stronger (24-25)?
3. Name 2 things
which the Cyclops Polyphemus did to make himself more attractive to Galatea
(32-38).
4. When Polyphemus
sang his song near the ocean, where were Galatea & Acis (61-63)?
Part 2 – The Song of Polyphemus
5. Quote 2 of the
positive comparisons that Polyphemus made about Galatea (64-75).
6. Quote 2 of the
negative comparisons that Polyphemus made about Galatea (76-84).
7. What did
Polyphemus say was ‘worst of all, and I wish that I could stop it’ about
Galatea (84-87)?
8. In lines 90-119,
Polyphemus listed some of his possessions to impress Galatea; identify any
5.
9. Quote the images
which Polyphemus mentioned to prove that it was not ugly ‘if my whole body
and covered thick with bristles’ (131-133).
10. Polyphemus noted
that he has only 1 eye; what did he say also had only 1 eye, but was praised
by all (134-137)?
Part 3 – The Transformation of Acis
11. Quote the words
of Polyphemus when he spotted Galatea & Acis together (163-164).
12. What did
Polyphemus use to crush Acis (171-174)?
13. Into what was
Acis transformed (177-187)?
Story #14:
Glaucus, Scylla, and Circe (end of Book 13 and start of Book 14)
Introductory Comment: This story is another
love triangle: this time, Glaucus loves Scylla (but she doesn’t love him),
and Circe loves Glaucus (but he doesn’t love her). Circe is best known as
the witch who transformed some of Odysseus’ men into pigs. This story tells
how Circe transformed Scylla into a monster.
1. What did Scylla
do when the sea god Glaucus revealed his love for her (194-203)?
2. What did Glaucus
taste which turned him into a sea god (224-239)?
3. Quote the lines
which describe the appearance of the sea god Glaucus (245-249).
4. How did Scylla
react to the speech of Glaucus (251-254)?
5. Circe was a witch
with great power; why did Glaucus visit her (24-26)?
6. Whom did Circe say
Glaucus should love instead of Scylla (37-42)?
7. Quote the answer
which Glaucus gave to Circe’s offer (43-45).
8. Against whom did
Circe turn her anger (46-48)?
9. What did the witch
Circe add to the pool which Scylla frequented (49-64)?
10. What happened
when Scylla waded into the tainted water of the pool (65-75)? In the
Odyssey, Odysseus twice confronted the monsters Scylla (whose dog
heads would capture passing sailors) and Charybdis (a huge whirlpool).
Ovid’s story explains how Scylla became this monster.
11. Into what was
Scylla later transformed (81-83)?
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