Max Gould Humanities: Ovid 03/29/08

Metamophoses, Passion, and the Fates

In his Metamorphoses, Ovid emphasizes certain themes in his stories by repetition. Similarities between multiple stories reveal interesting parallels. For instance, throughout Ovids Metamorphoses, the Gods are portrayed as highly passionate, acting on their emotions, often with little or no restraint. Its interesting therefore to note that the Gods are often the arbiters of fate. Furthermore, in every case where a mortal suffers at the hands of fate it is a direct result of some Gods passionate action. Even in the case of Phaethon and Apollo, events did not fall into the hands of fate until Apollo granted Phaethon an unnamed boon. Zeus did the same thing with Semele, in both cases, blinded by love, the Gods became nothing more than the puppets of fate. Through the parallels between many of his stories, Ovid emphasizes the relationship between passion and fate. In many of his stories, mortals suffer horrible fates due to the passions of the Gods, and often their own passions as well. This suggests that passion is the means by which the Fates influence events on earth. Regardless of how reasonable someone is, one is always subject to the Fates because the Gods always act passionately. Metamorphoses then are the physical manifestation of this transformation of the mind. Just as how one loses control of their fortune when one succumbs to their passions, when one is turned into a tree or a stag, one looses control of certain physical abilities. These transformations then, play an equal part in the dispensation of fate as divine passion. The transformations in Ovids Metamorphoses represent the destructive nature of unrestrained passion and its role in the propogation of fate. In the story of Phaethon and Apollo, Apollo, blinded by love for his son, swears to grant him his hearts desire. Ask what you will that I may satisfy your hearts desire; And that dark marsh by which the gods make oath, though to my eyes unknown, shall seal my troth. (Ovid, II. 48-50) Though Apollo unwittingly decides his sons fate, his son is also driven by a passion and refuses to listen to reason when Apollo warns him of the danger he faces. Rash have your word proved mine!Would that I might retract my promise, Phaethon!.. Yet at least I may dissuade you. (Ovid, II. 56-59) The passions of both Apollo and Phaethon give their destinies over into the hands of the Fates. Ahead he

Max Gould Humanities: Ovid 03/29/08 sees the west that fate ordains he shall not reach. (Ovid, II. 192-93) This story relates to another story by Ovid concerning Zeus and Semele. In both stories, the mortals suffer horrible fates because of unnamed boons granted by the Gods. The girl, unwitting, asked of Jove a boon unnamed. Choose what you will, the god replied, Theres nothing Ill refuse; and should you doubt, the power of rushing Styx shall be my witness. (Ovid, III. 285-88) However, unlike Phaethon, Semele is not warned of the danger of her request and is simply struck down when Zeus obliges her. Because Hera prompted Semele to ask the boon of Zeus out of spite in the first place, the primary passions that determine fate in this story are those of Zeus and Hera. Unlike Apollo, Zeus doesnt try to dissuade Semele from her course, preventing her from having any control over her fate. Through the parallels in these two stories, Ovid emphasizes the idea that fate is a result of others influence over ones life. When Phaethon becomes passionate and refuses to listen to his fathers warnings, he sacrifices any control of his situation to fate. In this case, fate is determined by the passionate love Apollo bears toward Phaethon. However, Semeles experience emphasizes the arbitrary nature of fate, and how sometimes it is completely out of ones hands. This aspect of fate can also be seen in certain parallels between the stories of Diana and Actaeon, and Pentheus and Bacchus. It is very clearly stated in the story of Diana and Actaeon that the Fates guided him to the cave wear Diana was bathing. Idly wandering through unknown clearings of the forest, [Actaeon] found the sacred grove so the fates guided him and came upon the cool damp cave. (Ovid, III. 177-81) This reveals another aspect of fate in Ovids Metamorphoses, an aspect of chance. Like passion, random fortune too plays a part in the plans of fate. The fault was fortunes and no guilt that day, for what guilt can it be to lose ones way? (Ovid, III. 146-47) However, once in the grove, it is the goddesss passionate fury that drives Actaeon to his death. Not until so many countless wounds had drained away his lifeblood, was the wrath, its said, of chaste Diana satisfied. (Ovid, III. 255-57) In some ways this story relates to the tale of Semele, in that they are both the victims of ill fortune in addition to the passions of the gods. Ovids story of Pentheus and Bacchus however, once again emphasize the power of ones own passions to lead one to an unfortunate fate. Like the

Max Gould Humanities: Ovid 03/29/08 stories of Phaethon and Semele, Ovid clearly intends the two stories of Actaeon and Pentheus to be related as they are both torn limb from limb in the execution of their respective fates. Pentheus even refers to Actaeon as he calls out to his aunt. Help, Aunt Autonoe! Mercy! Actaeons ghost should move your mercy! (Ovid, III. 716-18) But like Phaethon, Pentheus is partially responsible for his own fate. For Pentheus is warned of his fate by the blind prophet, but is too blinded by his own passions to heed the warning. Unless you honour [Bacchus] with holy shrines, you shall be torn to pieces; far and wide you shall be strewn, and with your blood defile the forests and your mother and her sisters. (Ovid, III. 523-526) In both these stories, fate is the result of the passionate wrath of gods rather than the blinding love portrayed in the stories of Actaeon and Semele. The parallels Ovid draws between these two stories once again shows fate to be the power of others over ones life as a result of the consuming fires of passion. Ovids portrayal of fate is mirrored in his use of metamorphosis throughout his stories. Just as unrestrained passion removes ones ability to direct ones fate, metamorphosis serves in a similar capacity. In the story of Diana and Actaeon, Diana turns Actaeon into a stag to prevent him from telling anyone what he has seen. Now tell you saw me here naked without my clothes, if you can tell at all! With that one threat antlers she raised upon his dripping head. (Ovid, III. 190-93) Actaeon then suffers his horrible fate partially because he cannot speak or call out to his friends. He tried to say Alas! but no words came; he groaned that was his voice. (Ovid, III. 202-03) Ovid uses the transformation as a way of reflecting the way in which passion leads to the adjudication of fate. When Zeus grants Semele an unnamed boon, he sacrifices part of his ability to act to change the course of events. Actaeons inability to speak similarly inhibits his ability to influence the course of events by preventing him from speech. In the story of Daphne and Apollo, their combined passions, one to love, and one not to be, deliver circumstances into the hands of the Fates. So loves fire consumed the god, his whole heart was aflame, and high the hopes that stoked his fruitless passion. (Ovid, I. 495-97) In this case, the conflict is resolved when Daphne is turned into a tree and is then unnable to be Apollos bride. My bride, he said, since you can never be, at least, sweet laurel, you shall be my tree. (Ovid, I. 555-56) Once again, like their passions, the

Max Gould Humanities: Ovid 03/29/08 transformation commits them to a course of events determined by fate. Throughout the Metamorphoses, Ovid uses physical transformation to reflect ones inability to direct fate when overrun with passions. Fate plays a huge role in the stories of relationships between mortals and the gods in Ovids Metamorphoses. Blinding passion, or just ill-fortune lead mortals to restrict themselves to the paths of fate. However, Ovid portrays fate as being the influence of others over ones life, and thus mortals are often doomed to certain fates by the passions of the gods. In Metamorphoses, Passion induces fate by making one incabable of changing the course of events, such as with Zeuss unnamed boon to Semele, granted out of love. Ovid mirrors this transformation in his metamorphoses, revealing ones loss of control in a different form than ones own. Fate is created when mortals or gods alike loose control of a situation. In Ovids Metamorphoses, characters are transformed physically and mentally by unrestrained passions, consigning them to the harsh judgement of fate.