Redemption

After wonderful blue sunny days followed by wet cold evenings sitting on my friend Claire's porch followed by flurries in town as well as in the mountains-a delightful time at that, Ive come to the conclusion of Ovid's Metamorphoses. Some of my friends called me bold, others thought me crazy. Upon finishing the book I too have come to the conclusion that Zues is a man not to reckon with. He is a ravaging impulsive god that doesnt seem to care about the fate of his victims, young virgins. These girls as we all know, upon being raped are then changed into an animal or a type of plant. That's no way for a helpless young lady to spend the rest of her years, if not eternity on earth. And so many say that Zues's wife is a horrible woman. I would be angry too if I were her. I wouldn't stand for my husband to be out late all the time. But then again, things were different back then I suppose. The imagery in this book was amazing. I'm not sure if the translation had something to do with my infatuation with the book. There were so many names in the book that it is impossible for me to remember most of them. I plan on reading this book again and again.

Ceres

"The first to furrow earth with the curved plow,
the first to harvest wheat, the first ot feed
the world with food men cultivate in peace,
the first to bless the earth with laws- was Ceres,
all things are gifts she gave. I want to sing
of Ceres: may offering be worthy-
this goddess surely merits poetry."
Ovid's Metamorphoses p.160

These five lines from Ovid's Metamorphoses are my favorite because they describe the amazing woman that made and continues to make the world the wonderful,beautiful, amazing place it is today. Not only does Ovid describe the acts Ceres, or Demeter is responsible but he makes those actions sounds fascinating and wonderous.
When I read this part I had a big smile on my face. I made my friend Claire read the words because they were written so well. She liked those lines and they convinced her that reading this long book actually is worth it.

Alfred Lord Tennyson version of "the Rape of Europa"

"Or sweet Europa's mantle blew unclasp'd,
From off her shoulder backward borne:
From one hand droop'd a crocus: one hand grasp'd
The mild bull's golden horn."

I found this stanza at http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/tennyson/palaceofart/19.html. This is what is said about the stanza by Tennyson on the website:

One can make several obvious points about this stanza, which presents Tennyson's rather mild version of the myth of Europa and the bull. First, it obviously offers an oddly tranquil, undisturbing version of the myth in which Zeus in the guise of an animal rapes Europa in both classical senses of the word, since rape meant both "to snatch or kidnap" (as in the Roman story of the rape of the Sabine women, when the founders of Rome kidnap and marry local women), and "to violate sexually." Second by not focusing on the story's obvious violence and bestiality, Tennyson can also make it his second example of erotic love (after Indian Cama). Finally, it represents an example in classical mythology of what will later become a central concern of the poet, especially in In Memoriam 95: the meeting of the divine and the human, the supernatural and the natural.

Images of the stories Mr. Sexson wants the class to focus on

The rape of Io(25) After Jove rapes her she is turned into a cow by jealous Juno.


Story of Syrinx(31), first instance of frame narrative


Europa(71), She is a beautiful girl taken into the sea by Jove against her will when she is misled to think he is a bull.


Arachne(177), She is turned into a spider


Pygmalion(335) After believing women to be whores he makes a statue of his ideal woman and falls in love with the lifeless figure. Venus grants him his wish of making the statue come to life.


Pythagoras(515) He is a blind man that has knowledge unknown to immortals. He believes that eating meat is bad because you could potentially be eating your kin considering souls travel from body to body, human and animal.

Alpheus

" ' "I was," she says, "one of the nymphs who live in the Achaean woods. I was intent on tracks and trails and setting hunting nets- no nymph had greater passion for such tasks. I never wanted to be known for beauty- I thought my courage was conspicuous but all my fame was or mere lovlieness...
One day...I made my way back from the forest...That day was hot-but twice as hot for me: the hunting had been hard, and I was weary, I came upon a stream. Unmurmuring and unperturbed it glided, crystalline- so clear down to the riverbed that one could count each pebble there. That stream was so transparent that it did not seem to flow...I bathed my feet, then I went in up to my knees. But now I wanted more cool water: I undid my dress...I strike those waters in a thousand ways, dividing, joining, splashing as I play" (170)

The story of the nymph Alpheus most resembles my life story. She is the nymph that enjoys recreation which is my greatest passion. While some see me as a pretty girl, sometimes I wish that my feminine image could be washed away, and in return be praised for the activities I partake in.
When i'm in the wilderness I often find myself describing crystalline water just as Alpheus does in her story. During the hot summer days while i'm out hiking or climbing I often find myself submerging my own body in bodies of water. The nymph does a great job of making the water sound tantalizing and inescapable.

BACCHAE

Dionysus (dye-oh-NYE-sus). Roman name Bacchus. See The Olympians for more information and another picture.
Dionysus was the god of wine, the son of Zeus and Semele, and the rescuer of Ariadne after she had been abandoned by Theseus. Dionysus also rescued his mother from the Underworld, after Zeus showed her his true nature as storm god and consumed her in lightning. It was Dionysus who granted Midas the power to turn whatever he touched into gold, then was kind enough to take the power back when it proved inconvenient.




In the story of Bacchae Dionysus wants everyone in the Greek city of Thebes to recognize him as god. He rightfully claims that he is the son of Zeua and Semele, who is the daughter of Cadmus, the founder and former ruler of Thebes. However Cadmus gave the rule of Thebes to his grandson Pentheus whose mother is Agave, Cadmus's daughter.
Dionysus grants delight of wine without pain to the rich and poor alike. All he wants is for the people of Thebes to recognize him as god. Pentheus refuses to do so believing that Dionysus is a hoax attempting to start a revolution.
The women go mad and are driven into the hills by Bacchus.
In the end Agave, driven by Bacchus, or Dionysus kills Pentheus after he is convinced by Dionysus to dress as a woman in attempt to spy on the women in the hills.
TRAGEDY: Agave and Cadmus are exiled from Thebes.

IRONY
When Pentheus is killed his body is spread all over the place. I was under the impression that every man is entitled to a proper burial after reading Antigone.

"no one should ever be above the law, neither in though nor action"(36), but it's clear here that Dionysus is going above the law. Mabey he is above the law because hes mortal.

Images from the story of Salmacis and Hermaphroditus

This story of Salmacis and Hermaphroditus is one of an ignorant boy scared of love. His temptress is a bit too much for him and although the boys believes he is alone Salmacis spies on him bathing. The way the boy is described is sensual and is a great image of a virgin boy not yet exposed to the tragedy that is life.

I chose this image that is found in book IV in Ovid's Metamorphses.
This image struck me because Salmacis cannot resist this boy she has been spying on. She tells him that he will be hers whether he likes it or not. Then she cries to the gods and they answer her plea by binding the two together so one cannot tell if the figure is male of female.