Reading Notes: Ovid's Metamorphoses Part A
Ovid's Metamorphoses, translated by Tony Kline
Deucalion and Pyrrah
The thought of them repopulating the earth with rocks turning into people is a marvelous ending to this story. The confusion of what Themis meant when she said through behind you the bones of your great mother was a turning point in the plot. There was inner turmoil in the characters until they realized that the goddess did not mean their actual mothers, but was referring to mother earth. Having the characters doubt what they are told or figure out what something means would be interesting.
Io
Origin stories are fun. It seems like this is such a long story to explain such a simple thing. I also do not like how the gods use this poor woman as a pawn, and that Zeus feels entitled to every woman on earth. The journey that Io has to go through, with the gods using her as a pawn, had many elements to it. She was able to contact her family, but was always being guarded.
The Death of Paethon
Phaethon took on more than he could handle. He tried so hard to prove himself that he ended up killing himself and almost destroyed both heaven and earth. His family mourned him greatly, with his sisters turning into trees. His friend turned into a swan out of grief. Maybe, instead of a character turning completely into something else, they only turned into that thing when they were sad or angry or some other emotion. And if they were only a little sad or frustrated but not completely moved by what ever emotion then they only show some characteristics of whatever they turn into.
Callisto
Juno turns Callisto into a bear because she is angry that Zeus raped her and got her pregnant. This seems like it is a theme, Juno being jealous over the girls that Zeus impregnates. Expanding on Juno's jealousy would make a good story; maybe she could get to know one of these women and choose to not focus on her jealousy. Or maybe she could come up with more creative ways of keeping an eye on Zeus, like she seems prone to doing.
Semele
Juno almost gets her way in this story. She convinces one of Zeus's women, Semele, that she needs to view Zeus in his true form, and it destroyed her. However, the baby that was growing in Semele's belly somehow continues to grow in Zeus's thigh, and becomes a god. Juno goes to great lengths to get revenge. Maybe she should go to counseling or something. She and Zeus need marriage counseling; that would be a fun story.
Deucalion and Pyrrah
The thought of them repopulating the earth with rocks turning into people is a marvelous ending to this story. The confusion of what Themis meant when she said through behind you the bones of your great mother was a turning point in the plot. There was inner turmoil in the characters until they realized that the goddess did not mean their actual mothers, but was referring to mother earth. Having the characters doubt what they are told or figure out what something means would be interesting.
Io
Origin stories are fun. It seems like this is such a long story to explain such a simple thing. I also do not like how the gods use this poor woman as a pawn, and that Zeus feels entitled to every woman on earth. The journey that Io has to go through, with the gods using her as a pawn, had many elements to it. She was able to contact her family, but was always being guarded.
Juno Confiding Io to the Care of Argus, by Claude Lorrian Source: Wikimedia Commons
The Death of Paethon
Phaethon took on more than he could handle. He tried so hard to prove himself that he ended up killing himself and almost destroyed both heaven and earth. His family mourned him greatly, with his sisters turning into trees. His friend turned into a swan out of grief. Maybe, instead of a character turning completely into something else, they only turned into that thing when they were sad or angry or some other emotion. And if they were only a little sad or frustrated but not completely moved by what ever emotion then they only show some characteristics of whatever they turn into.
Callisto
Juno turns Callisto into a bear because she is angry that Zeus raped her and got her pregnant. This seems like it is a theme, Juno being jealous over the girls that Zeus impregnates. Expanding on Juno's jealousy would make a good story; maybe she could get to know one of these women and choose to not focus on her jealousy. Or maybe she could come up with more creative ways of keeping an eye on Zeus, like she seems prone to doing.
Semele
Juno almost gets her way in this story. She convinces one of Zeus's women, Semele, that she needs to view Zeus in his true form, and it destroyed her. However, the baby that was growing in Semele's belly somehow continues to grow in Zeus's thigh, and becomes a god. Juno goes to great lengths to get revenge. Maybe she should go to counseling or something. She and Zeus need marriage counseling; that would be a fun story.
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