Week 2: Reading Diary B--Ovid's Metamorphoses

Now let's continue reading Ovid's Metamorphoses, Books 8-10, to see if anyone besides Baucis and Philemon will receive a fairytale ending:

(The Rape of Ganymede, engraving by F. Kirchbach 1892.  Wikimedia.)

11.  Ganymede and Hyacinthus-  Anybody else find it intriguing and yet pedophilic how much famous Greco-Roman deities and heroes loved young boys?  Passions and ideals of a bygone era that continue today but with a very different perspective. . . Fascinating and curious in the possible reasons for and causes of changes in ethics/morality.  Also, you can't help but feel bad for Hyacinthus, who was only trying to please and play with the handsome and shining Phoebus Apollo.  And for Apollo to accidentally kill Hyacinthus like that and have all efforts to save him fail?--how traumatizing that must have been.  All-around, this was quite a depressing tale.

12.  Pygmalion-  You've gotta love the absurdity of this tale, and how many iterations have been made of it in modern times--just look at the newest TV adaptation, Selfie.  (*shudder* Then again, that show isn't a sterling example of a well-executed retelling.)  But to be able to create the perfect man/woman simply by carving it out of stone and praying to the gods--how much easier (if less eventful/exciting) would our love-lives be?!  Granted, this whole tale is another brand of creepy, and yet it is about as fairy-tale as these myths can be. , ,

13-15.  Myrrha and Cinyras, Myrrha and the Nurse, Myrrha's Punishment-  Earlier this year I wrote a paper about Myrrha and some other characters from the Metamorphoses who entertain innappropriate and/or unnatural romantic desires, and let me just say that stuff can get weird reallllly quickly, haha.  But seriously, fathers and daughters, KEEP AWAY!!!

16.  Venus and the Adonis-  At least this tale is back to a more traditional love, I guess?  The most beautiful boy and the passionate goddess of love wounded by Cupid's arrow--an odd but apt pairing.

(Atalanta and the Boar, image by BeatrizMarinVidal.  DeviantArt.)

17.  Atalanta and Hippomenes-  A beautiful, talented, athletic girl, a hapless boy, and innumerable deaths when the race cannot be won.  What more do you need to craft a wondrous tale?  Also, the fact that a boy's mind can be so easily swayed by outward beauty is kind of disappointing, if somewhat realistic.  What happened to inner beauty, to personality and mind over appearance?  *sigh*

18.  The Foot-Race-  To think girls can be so easily swayed by shiny things--there is nothing at all sexist about that.  Ughhhh.  Not to mention the whole forbidden intercourse encounter which just twists this whole tale into something. . . unseemly.  Though to be transformed into a lion isn't that bad; I mean, goddesses can be pretty ruthless, so that was a relatively tame punishment.

19.  The Death of Adonis-  Oh, Adonis, how painful and gory your end!  But you get a pretty flower created in your name, so it's not all bad.  (Goodness, that sounds totally apathetic.)

And there you go!  Story selections from books 8-10 of the Metamorphoses, along with some brief thoughts and comments!  Now to decide which story to retell. . .

Buonanotte!!!