(Image of Icarus flying too close to the sun; unknown origin, found on rscheuring.wordpress.com)
Jumping right in to Ovid's Metamorphoses, Books 8-10:
1. Daedalus and Icarus- I, for one, have always been intrigued by the Minotaur; he's just such an impressive and yet unsettling character, and it seems unfair that he suffers so much for his mother's transgressions. As far as Daedalus goes, you cannot help but sympathize with a guy who builds a labyrinth because of his skill and renown, only to be imprisoned by the king because of the shameful thing his maze hides. Then to be so ingenious as to create working wings, only to have an impulsive and bold son die by your invention as you look on helplessly so close to home--goodness, I can't even imagine. Poor, poor Daedalus. :(
2. Philemon and Baucis- Another of my favorite tales, this is one of only a few stories in the Metamorphoses with a truly happy ending. Also, it's just plain adorable. I can easily picture an old, bent couple with kindly smiles and crinkles around their eyes opening their door to a couple of travel-weary strangers and providing a feast out of what little they have while doting merrily on the pair. . .
3. Transformation of Philemon and Baucis- Granted, the ending is only so happy when everyone around the couple dies, but still. The adorable old people got to live together, die together, and remain together until the end of time. I'd say that's the happiest ending to be expected in a Greco-Roman myth.
4. Ceres and Erysichthon- A bleeding tree is one of those things that freaks me out considerably. If trees bleed, and animals bleed, and all suffer pain, what are we supposed to eat?
5. The Famine- "baleful Hunger". . . Anybody else find that appositive/address somewhat oxymoronic? No? Just me? 'K then. (Also, I never want to come across Famine, like ever. Talk about creeptastic. . . )
6. Achelous- "I was like a massive pile that the roaring flood assaults with all its might: it remains, secure in its own bulk." <--This perfectly describes how I feel after a four-course Italian meal, haha.
7. The Shirt of Nessus- Always the jilted lovers kill off everyone else--why can't they just admit defeat and let somebody live on happily? Why?!
8. The Death of Hercules- Most gruesome and detailed death scene ever. You kinda feel bad for Hercules but, I don't know, he's just not all that he's cracked up to be. So die, Hercules, die! (I am not a violent person, really. Believe me or don't, that's your prerogative, haha.)
9. The Birth of Hercules- A story about the pain of childbirth--this is why I don't really want to have children; perhaps I will just adopt. It's less torturous that way, lol.
10. Orpheus and Eurydice- Oh, a romantic tale of love that will transcend Death to last a little bit longer! Except, you know, then Orpheus fails and his love is abruptly cut short and he turns to little boys for pleasure. . . So, yeah, not really a romantic tale of transcendent love after all. . .
To be continued!!! Arrivederci!
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