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Lecture Outline: Creation and Flood in Ovid’s Metamorphoses I. Ovid’s Metamorphoses a) Roman poet Ovid (43 BCE-CE 17) b) Metamorphoses = “transformations” c) 8 CE (= Ovid’s exile)• We do not know when he wrote this, but we know it was finished by 8 CE• Mistake- Became involved with Julia, Augustus’ daughter• Poem- One about love d) critical of Augustus (63 BCE-CE 14)?• Brings peace to the Roman empire • Gets rid of the republican form of government II. Creation in Ovid’s Metamorphoses a) metamorphosis of universe = creation b) mythical and philosophical• Combines these views of creation c) in the beginning = chaos1. NOT Hesiod’s Chaos• Hesiod’s chaos means nothingness• Hesiod’s Chaos is also a god2. disordered elements• Is what Ovid is describing, exact opposite of Hesiod***1.5ff “Before the ocean and earth appeared […] were there congested in a shapeless heap” d) unnamed creator god1. cf. Stoic architect god• A god putting things together at the time of creation2. neither monolatrous nor monotheistic• He does not say that there is only one god, just a god that creates things3. cf. Mesopotamian Mami/Nintu4. god’s job = creation e) creator god• Takes the elements out of the heap and starts forming them into groups 1. separates out elements 2. earth, sea, sky3. animals, fish, birds f) creation of humans 1. Greco-Roman myth: many versions 2. humans = an afterthought? g) creation of humans, acc. to Ovid 1. creator godOR 2. Prometheus (earth, water)• Second creation myth – maybe Prometheus created human beings out of earth and water OR 3. Earth (blood of Giants)• Third creation myth – Gaia gives birth to a race of giants and the giants wage war on the gods. The gods defeat the giants, and when their blood soaks into the earth, human beings are born OR 4. Myth of the Ages• Fourth creation myth 5. with #1 and #2 = positive view of humans• We can look up to the skies to the gods while animals cannot • 3 is a negative view – blood of evil giants • 4 is a mixed view 6. humans civilize earth• They do the work of the creator god *****1.76-88“But one more perfect and more sanctified […] and so it was that shapeless clay put on the form of man till then unknown to earth”III. Myth of the Ages a) Hesiod (and Near East) b) metals (gold, silver, bronze, iron) = descending value• Each age is associated with a group of people c) mythical idea = devolution of people d) philosophical idea = humans civilized• Opposite of the metal idea • Ovid’s idea, combined mythical idea with philosophical idea e) Ovid combines (c) and (d) f) humans = morally worse, more technologically civilized g) Golden Age• First human beings• Gods created them• Men and women at the same time• Like a paradise1. peace, abundance2. Saturn (= Kronos)• Rules over the people of the Roman age • Syncratism• People die off so they create new people, the silver age h) Silver Age1. caves; agriculture• Becoming more technologically civilized • Golden age was a time of peace, now people are more afraid. Seek shelter and have fears of other people 2. Jupiter (Jove) (= Greek Zeus)• People ruled by Jupiter, king of the Roman gods i) Bronze Age = warlike, not evil• They constantly wage war on each other and kill each other off j) Iron Age = our own1. sailing, mining (= wealth)• Technologically more civilized, but getting greedy • Digging in places or sailing places they shouldn’t be going • Sailing caused anxiety for the Greeks and Romans – trying to conquer other places2. depravity (murder, greed, treachery)• Every depravity you can imagine is happening IV. Iron Age vs. Augustan Age a) Augustan propaganda1. Augustan Age = Golden Age, peace, abundance• Propoganda – living in the age of Agustus is like living in the mythological Golden Age ` 2. cf. Ara Pacis Augustae (“Altar of Augustan Peace”) a. 9 BCE b. golden age fertility b) Ovid’s Golden Age = matches (a) c) BUT Ovid’s Iron Age = his own age 1. Iron Age = horrible2. criticism of Augustan policies? V. Lycaon a) Jupiter, angry at wicked humans• He wants to test them b) tests them (human guise)• Greeks and romans believe that this happened often. You better be good to people because you don’t know when they are gods in disguise b) xenia = hospitality (xenos = guest/host)• Hospitality or guest/host relationship• Sacred idea to the Greeks – Zeus would strike you down if you were a bad guest or a bad host c) Lycaon, king in Arcadia (Greece)• Jupiter goes to Arcadia d) Jupiter reveals he is god• People believe him and start to worship him. They don’t know what god he is f) Lycaon disbelieves, tests him g) kills hostage, serves flesh to Jupiter h) Jupiter (thunderbolt, house)• Knows instantly what is up• In anger throws a thunderbolt at Lycaon’s house• House represents hospitality i) Lycaon = wolf• Lycaon tries to run for it, but he is transformed into a wolf• Lycanthrope = wolf/man • Jupiter is now angry at human beings. He is show that they are wicked. He decides to send the flood VI. Flood in Ovid’s Metamorphoses a) Jupiter, destruction 1. rejects fire (lightning) 2. cf. Atrahasis 3. Stoic doctrinesa. ekpyrosis = conflagrationb. kataklysmos = flood b) sends flood 1. rain 2. Neptune (Greek Poseidon)1. Jupiter’s brother2. God of sea, rivers3. cf. Genesis 8.2 c) topsy-turvy world (adynaton = impossible)• When the flood comes things get turned upside down. For ex, fish are stuck in the trees and lions walk on the sea bed• Ovid is playing with a literary device called adynation e) Deucalion (smarter) and Pyrrha (dumber)1. son of Prometheus (smart); daughter of Epimetheus (dumb)• First cousins2. Mt. Parnassus


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FSU CLT 3378 - Ovid’s Metamorphoses

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