Ovid Book 8

Story:

King minos was LAYING WASTE to Megara, whose king was Nisus - whose power was held in a MAGIC LOCK OF RESPLENDENT CRIMSON. It wasn't clear who was winning as the BIRD OF VICTORY..NEVER DESCENDED. His daughter Scylla went up a tower to play, by throwing the SMALLEST OF PEBBLES onto the wall. She adores Minos, MORE INDEED THAN WAS PROPER. She wishes to be with him, envying even the spear and reins which HE IS GRASPING. She believes that if he gave herself up as dowry to bring thhe war to an end, and in her monologue she battles with herself a she knows its a crime, saying she would RATHER FORSWEAR THE BED OF MY DREAMS THAN ACHIEVe MY DESIRE BY TREASON. But finally, she cuts the lock from her father's head at night, and presents it to Minos who is horrified and leaves her ashore. She realises her mistake: MY COUNTRYMEN RIGHTLY DETEST ME. She attempts to hang onto the ship but is turned into ciris the shearer, and Nisus into a flacon with tawny wings.

Themes:

Love, Betrayal, Metamorphoses is a reflection of personality.

Story:

Minus returns home, where the Minotaur is kept in a maze built by Daedalus, who has OBSCURED ALL GUIDING MARKS. This is the story if its demise. Theseus was one of the men who had been sent to feed the Minotaur, but he suceeded in killing it because he was helped by Ariadne, and by rewinding thread he found teh ELUSIVE ENTRANCE. He promised he'd take Ariadne with him but he CRUELLY ABANDONED her. But Bacchus saved her, and sent her crown spinning into the sky and it came at rest IN THE SHAPE OF A JEWELLED CIRCLET.

Themes:

Love and Betrayal.

Story:

Daedalus and his son Icarus locked up in a tower by King Minos. He builds wings, so well that YOU'D THINK THEY HAD GROWN LIKE THAT. Whilst he was doing this, Icarus would CARELESSLY SOFTEN THE YELLOW WAX, and he 'enjoyed' his GAME AS HE MEDDLED AND INTERFERED with D's work. Daedalus orders him to KEEP TO THE MIDDLE WAY, not too low as the water'll clog up his wings and not too high as the sun'll melt the wax. After KISSING THE LIPS OF HIS DARLING SON, (which shows his love) they flew. Icarus flew too high, and the wax melted so he drowned in the Icarian Sea.

Themes: 

Love.

Story:

We find out that earlier, Daedalus' nephew Perdix had come to learn from him, but he was A BOY OF HIGH INTELLIGENCE, inventing the handsaw and compasses. Daedalus was jealous and so he threw him down a hill sacred to Minerva. Pallas (Goddess who fosters artistic talent) caught him and turned him into a bird. Strength of inteligence filtered into wings and feet. Frightened of heights therefore doesnt fly.

Themes:

Jealousy, Explanation

Story:

King Oeneus of Calydon forgot to give Diana thanks, who in her anger sent down a wild boar. BLOOD AND FIRE WERE AGLOW IN HIS EYES, neck stiff as SERRIED SPEARS, TUSKS WERE AS LONG AS AN INDIAN ELEPHANT'S. LIGHTNING FLASHED from his mouth, BREATH BLASTS shrivelled grass. Damage: TRAMPLE THE YOUNG CORN, or destroy FULL GROWN GRAIN IN THE EAR, BUNCHES OF GRAPES STREWN ON THE GROUND, + BERRIES AND BRANCHES. He also attacked flocks. Band of fighter with Meleager leading them, Castor and Pollux, Jason, Pirithous, Theseus, Plexippus and Toxeus, Ancaeus, Telamon, Atalanta etc, on seeing Atalanta, the FLAMES OF HIS PASSION tore through Meleager's heart. They attack the boar, and there are moments of both gory detail and humour, (bowels burst out in a seething mixture and Telamon fell) atalanta made the first wound, and meleager killed the boar. He gave the head to Atalanta, and killed his uncles when they protested. His mother Althaea was in a turmoil like a ship CAUGHT BETWEEN WIND AND TIDE. Her inner battle ends up causing her to kill her son by burning the log which help his life span. She then kills herself with guilt, and his sisters and wife weep. He's sad to not have had a glorious death.

Themes: Love, Impiety, Lust?

Story:

Theseus, Pirithous and his companions enter the house of Achelous, on their way home from the boar hunt. He tells the story of how he turned the naiads into the hedgehog isles. One of them being perimele whom he loved and stole her virginity from.

His house: GROTTO OF POUROUS PUMICE< ROUGH GRAINED TUFA, PANNELED WITH ROWS OF MUSSEL AND MUREX SHELLS

Themes: Power of the Gods, Explanation

Story:

Jupiter and Mercury visit a town, and Philemon and Baucis were the only couple who were hospitable to them. They prepare the best meal they can by cooking the piece of meat THEY HAD CAREFULLY SAVED FOR SO LONG, and KILLING THE GOOSE, THEIR ONLY ONE, and when the wine refills on its own, they oray FERVENTLY. Their piety is rewarded when Jove drowns their neighbours but allows them to be safe, and grants them any boon they desire. They choose to be guardians of his temple, and not have to see each other die. So when the time came for them to die, both of them WITNESSED THEIR PARTNER SPROUTING LEAVES ON THEIR WORN OLD LIMBS, and they were turned into trees. Philemon-Oak, Baucis-Linden.

Themes:

Love, Piety, Just treatment

Story:

Erysichthon, an impious man cuts down the sacred tree of Ceres, declaring that it could be the GODDESS HERSELF FOR ALL I CARE. The nymph who inhabited the tree prophesises that vengeance will come. As revenge, Ceres tells hunger to infect him, and Erysichthon ends up selling his daughter to get money to buy food to eat. He is likened to how A FIRE WILL NEVER REFUSE ANY FUEL.. THE MORE IT IS FED THE MORE IT REQUIRES. His daughter Mestra can change shape to escape her captives, and when Erysichthon finds out, he sells her multiple times. Eventually he began to BITE HIS OWN LIMBS AND TEAR THEM APART WITH HIS JAWS. He ate himself. Achelous finishes of the story, hinting at his own ability to change form.

Themes:

Impiety, Just Punishment