AUCX 190: MEDITERRANEAN STUDIES: Ovid's 'Metamorphoses' (Day Two: Books 4 and 6)

AUCX 190: MEDITERRANEAN STUDIES: Ovid's 'Metamorphoses' (Day Two: Books 4 and 6)

     The story of The Minydes and Hermaphroditus both have a common theme of naive knowledge of society and the gods. The story about the Minydes incorporates multiple greek stories, where the mistresses take these stories and give them their own meaning.  They dishonor the knowledge of the gods and group together to undermine this knowledge.  Each girl tells their own story Arsippe tells the story of Pyramus and Thisbe, Leuconoe tells the the story of Mars and Venue, and Alcithoe tells the story of Salmacis.  All of these stories end with the demise of humans.  The demise of humans comes from their deception of the gods, very ironic.  By the end of all this story telling and plotting to undermine the stories of gods the Minydes are turned into bats.
      The story of Hermaphroditus has a more vague theme than The Minydes story, but it is still common and has to do with naive knowledge.  Hermaphroditus is a child of male and female appearance, but he is of male sex at this time.  He leaves home and is venturing around the forest and his attention is captivated by a beautiful pool of water.  Without further thought about the dangers of this pool or what it could be he jumps in.  His inexperienced youth causes him to be attacked by a water nymph who falls in love with his body.  Hermaphroditus and the nymph merge into one being and he is forever both and neither man and woman.
     All of these stories end with the demise of humans because of punishment from the gods, wish granting on a supernatural's wish in Hermaphroditus' case or by interacting with gods.  Humans that do not think their decisions for or despise the gods pay for their actions heavily in these stories.