Week 2:Ovid's Metamorphoses I

Deucalion and Pyrrha
There's a flood? I thought I chose Classics and not the Bible. Interesting how the logic behind both floods is similar.

The world is drowned, but there are survivors - the titular characters. Adam and Eve reborn?

Note the use of the conch.

Themis is the goddess they appeal to. She tells them to scatter their mother's bones (i.e. throw rocks). Pyrrha is all like, "Ain't gonna happen!"

They hesitate, but agree to do it. The stones that Deucalion throws turn into men, and the stones that Pyrrha throwa turn into women. Yay, procreation!

Io
Io is raped by Zeus/Jupiter, and is turned into a heifer so the god can hide her from Juno. However, she is claimed to the earth. If Zeus argues, he gives his deeds away, otherwise he must forego the love.

She looks at herself in a pool and is horrified by what she is. She runs away crying.

She finds her father, Inachus, and follows him and his family around.

Argus takes her away, but Jupiter seeks to kill Argus so he can have his heifer, and has his son, Mercury, live out the task.

She is eventually turned back into a human.

Phaethon and the Sun
Phaethon has a desire to drive the chariot in the sun and heads to the Palace of the Sun.

He is instructed on how to properly operate it.

It turns out to be much more difficult a task than could be expected.

Phaethon's Ride
Phaethon begs to drive the chariot despite warnings against doing so.

Aurora, the goddess of the dawn, then begins to rise as she does every morning. Phaethon is to drive behind her to bring the sun.

However, the horses prove to be too difficult to control and Phaethon not only struggles to control them but also lets go of the reigns like a moron.

Now, the sun begins to get to close to the earth and the mountains begin to burn. The earth whines and complains.

The Death of Phaethon
Jupiter fixes the issue, but Phaethon literally falls like a dying star.

Cycnus becomes a swan, which had previously never existed.

Phaethon's father refuses to do any more work as he is overcome with grief, so Sol comes in and takes over the sun duty.

Callisto
Once again, Jupiter can't keep it in his pants. He rapes Callisto, a nymph under the care of the goddess, Diana.

Diana realizes what has happened to Callisto, and tells her to go away. Eventually, she is turned into a bear.

Now Callisto, along with Arcas - the grandson of Lycaon - are made into constellations and placed in the sky.

Semele
Jupiter has - yet again - knocked up a woman. This time, her name is Semele. She is pregnant with Jupiter's child. Juno is pretty upset.

Semele asks for the "touch of Jupiter", so to speak. However, her body can't take it.

The baby is still delivered, and it's Dionysus.

Echo
Dionysus' birth causes Jupiter and Juno to argue over the pleasures of love. To settle their debate, they go to Tiresias - who has been both sexes at one time or other - and he says Juno has it right.

Narcissus is born and becomes a handsome devil. He catches the eye of Echo, a nymph who played lookout while Jupiter was off doing the nasty with various other nymphs and was given the curse of only being able to say the last word someone else has said.

She comes on to Narcissus but he is not attracted to her and runs away. Echo cries and is shamed, and she hides away never to be seen again.

Narcissus
Nemesis hears the cries of the nymphs that ill should befall Narcissus, so she makes a pool nearby very clear and Narcissus looks into it, only to discover and fall in love with himself.

He loves himself so much, but can't be with himself. He gets really emotional and dies...sort of. He is transformed into a flower.

Pyramus and Thisbe
see Romeo and Juliet, but with a lion instead of a monk.

Mars and Venus
Not a lot going on here. These two have an affair, the husband (Vulcan) finds out. He decides to ensnare them, and when they are caught in the act, the rest of the gods get a peep show. It's like Porky's. Sort of.

Perseus and Andromeda
see Clash of the Titans.

Perseus and Medusa
see above.