Essay #2 - Pending Affirmation of Worth
Book I of Ovid’s Metamorphoses begins not ‘in medias res,’ but at the beginning of time itself, with a very distinct purpose, which echoes the theme and concept behind the poem as a whole. In the opening proem, Ovid declares that he will ‘spin a thread’ from the world’s beginning to his own lifetime, illustrated through metamorphoses, which are doled out by the gods not only upon the figures of myth, but upon Ovid himself, as they have impelled him to change his art. What is significant is not the fact that he changed it, so much as how. Ovid implies, through the paradoxical placement of perpetuum and deducite, that he will create a new poetry, one that is fit to antecede that of the great Virgil, but along a much different path, as both Callimachus and Ovid’s own Helios advise.
This concept can be seen throughout the poem, as Ovid intersperses grandiose topics, such as the Cosmogony and Flood, with lighter, more elegiac episodes concerning the amours of the Gods, all while subtly blending genres as diverse as comedy, tragedy, and epic. At points the poet seems even to show a slight distaste for the pretension of epic, and with great wit manages to at once parody the genre, while suggesting that he himself is not capable of creating a work that would directly rival that of Virgil’s Aeneid. However, Ovid did manage to write the longest Latin poem, with a distinctly epic intention, but focusing on a subject most popular with Alexandrian poets, lacking a common hero or narrative. The poem is truly both perpetuum and deducite.
The epic force of the opening episodes is easy enough to sense, as it begins with the Cosmogony, the fall of man, and the creation of our current incarnation. What comes as a surprise, and establishes the programme Ovid declared in the proem, is the story of the Python, and the subsequent episode between Apollo and Cupid. Ovid uses two stories of the Gods’ amours to lighten and balance the poem following its more emphatically epic opening, including Apollo-Daphne and Jupiter-Io. In order to link these seemingly incongruous generic turns, Ovid employs the story of the Python, and at the beginning of the Daphne episode, highlights Apollo’s pride in his victory over the serpent. These preliminary elements are used as a foil for Apollo’s failure and the subsequent comedic effect.
The god described in the closing lines of the Python story is the Callimachean Apollo, who inspires ‘serious poetry,’ while in the opening of the Daphne episode he is mocked by Cupid (Ovid’s former guide through the world of elegy) for his boastfulness. Cupid turns the weapon Apollo has just won his great victory with upon him, forcing the conquering archer to submit to the throes of (elegiac) love. Thus, an elegiac character has subverted an epic character, and Ovid has cleverly denounced the epic tone of the preceding tale of the Python, with all its exaggeration and gory detail. The episode continues, telling the story of Apollo’s failed love and unrequited desire, extending the ‘failed epic’ theme. Parallels of this concept may be found in the Phaethon story, where Ovid aligns himself with another epic failure, in the figure of boy who attempts to take on the role of Helios and fly through the heavens in a golden chariot, in the Metamorphoses mini-epic. Although Ovid’s great poem has all the length, scope, and hexameters of epic poetry, elegiac topics continue to draw him back to his previous generic devotion.
Another example of Ovid’s genre-bending can be found in Book V, in the story of Persephone, told by the muse Calliope. Here the perpetuum/deducite programme is continued, as is the clever insertion of elegy into an emphatically epic context. This is conveyed in two separate, but simultaneous ways, the first being the episode’s relevance to Ovid’s oevre, and the second the setting in which it is told. The appearance of the Persephone story in the Metamorphoses constitutes a repeat telling by Ovid, the first having appeared in his Fasti. There the poet pushed the bounds of elegy by telling the Persephone story in an epic light, though in a very elegiac context. This is a reversal of the technique employed in the later Metamorphoses, for here Ovid already had his epic setting and intention. At the very outset of the competition between the muses of Mt. Helicon and the Pierides, Calliope declares that her tale will be a carmina digna dea, thus suggesting Ovid’s intention of creating a hyper-epic framework in which to place the episode. The poet must both develop the scope of his art and bear in mind the feats of his immediate predecessor. As Hinds put it, his epic must surpass his epic-elegy in dignitas, which would lead him to pure epic. This, however, had been recently achieved by Virgil, and in the grandest style possible. Therefore, Ovid sets out to transgress the bounds of both epic and elegy, of both his own work, and of Virgil’s.
The setting and frame of the Persephone episode are critical to this endeavor. It is clear that Calliope is the speaker of the story, due to the contrivance of the contest. Thus, the oldest and most ‘serious’ muse of poetry is weaving a tale in her own home, on Mt. Helicon. This certainly recalls Apollo’s association with the Python story in Book I, though at this point Ovid is preparing to handle the elegiac-epic balance in a much more serious light. Additionally, the Muses typically inspire mortal men to write of love. Here, the muse herself speaks of epic. So what of the Persephone story itself? Perhaps the most curious aspect of the episode is the fact that, within the context so carefully constructed, Ovid has chosen a somewhat distinctly un-epic topic for his muse’s carmina digna dea. When compared with the Pereid’s Gigantomachy, a tale of divine kidnapping seems distinctly levis. Nonetheless, the muses of Mt. Helicon are declared victorious, the Pereid’s tale being deemed overly pretentious or pompous. One instantly recalls Cupid’s derision of Apollo’s epic attempts, and the programmatic statement of Book I comes into sharp relief. With Persephone, Ovid chose to use all the grandiosity of epic to his advantage, while retelling an episode from his own body of work, walking not in the shadow of Virgil, but along his own path of artistic development.
However, the lines dividing elegiac story and epic setting are not made entirely clear by Ovid. He chose to add a distinctly epic aspect to the Persephone story, defining its uniqueness from his Fasti version and simultaneously referencing the Aeneid. By including Venus’ plot to hold a greater portion of the Universe under her sway, through the agency of Cupid and the enslavement of Pluto’s heart, Ovid adds an element of divine machinery to an elegiac love story. This is almost an exact mirroring of Juno’s cooperation with Cupid to prevent Aeneas’ founding of Rome. Although the motivations differ, the characterizations are quite similar. This skillful balancing and cross-referencing of epic and elegy also manages to maintain the essence of Ovid’s wit and inherent cleverness, in that this most epic allusion lies in a section entirely devoid of the human machinery of heroism: bows, arrows, and spears. The only weapons in the Persephone episode are the darts of Cupid.
The programmatic aspects of Book I are not conveyed through theme and concept alone, but also in the structural frameworks set out in the early part of the Metamorphoses, helping to give the poem as a whole a feeling of narrative consistency. Throughout the whole of the poem, Ovid consistently attaches abrupt or brief transformations to the ends of his more extended narratives, and more epic works, the Phaethon episode being a notable example. Interspersing these more epic turns with lighter tales helps prevent the graver topics from weighing down the rest of the poem. A second technique assisting the perpetuitas of the Metamorphoses is the fact that the poem as a whole follows a chronological narrative sequence, with brief flashbacks employed to resolve organizational difficulties or ambiguities within the myths themselves. Generally, the poem is divided in to four main chronological groups, the Cosmogony, the Amours, the Heroes, and the Troy-Rome sequence. These general groups allow for flexibility within the sections, giving Ovid opportunities to create contrasts of mood or tone. Another device used to convey congruity is the tale-within-a-tale scheme, which was used in the times of Homer, but refined by Callimachus, and is now referred to as an epyllion. The inset story of Pan, told by Mercury to Argus in the Io episode, is a good example. It provides both a contrast to the Io story and a link to the tale of Syrinx. perpetuitas is maintained through this linking, and the pattern recurs with frequency throughout the poem. Lastly, by allowing certain longer episodes to extend beyond the end of one book into the beginning of another, including the Phaethon episode, Ovid creates a sense of continuity between books, and at the same time shows pointed disregard for the narrative-book divisions used by Virgil in the Aeneid.
With the Metamorphoses, Ovid set out with a very ambitious goal: to reach a new level of artistic realization, and to write a great work of poetry capable of following that of the Aeneid. The theme and concept of such a poem must be carefully thought out, and here Ovid succeeds entirely. The poet declares in his opening proem that he will create a work that is both perpetuum and deducite, and the themes and structure of the episodes contained in Book I help set out a system and approach that will carry the theme of mythical transformations down throughout the entirety of 12,000 lines, from the beginning of time to the age of Augustus.
This concept can be seen throughout the poem, as Ovid intersperses grandiose topics, such as the Cosmogony and Flood, with lighter, more elegiac episodes concerning the amours of the Gods, all while subtly blending genres as diverse as comedy, tragedy, and epic. At points the poet seems even to show a slight distaste for the pretension of epic, and with great wit manages to at once parody the genre, while suggesting that he himself is not capable of creating a work that would directly rival that of Virgil’s Aeneid. However, Ovid did manage to write the longest Latin poem, with a distinctly epic intention, but focusing on a subject most popular with Alexandrian poets, lacking a common hero or narrative. The poem is truly both perpetuum and deducite.
The epic force of the opening episodes is easy enough to sense, as it begins with the Cosmogony, the fall of man, and the creation of our current incarnation. What comes as a surprise, and establishes the programme Ovid declared in the proem, is the story of the Python, and the subsequent episode between Apollo and Cupid. Ovid uses two stories of the Gods’ amours to lighten and balance the poem following its more emphatically epic opening, including Apollo-Daphne and Jupiter-Io. In order to link these seemingly incongruous generic turns, Ovid employs the story of the Python, and at the beginning of the Daphne episode, highlights Apollo’s pride in his victory over the serpent. These preliminary elements are used as a foil for Apollo’s failure and the subsequent comedic effect.
The god described in the closing lines of the Python story is the Callimachean Apollo, who inspires ‘serious poetry,’ while in the opening of the Daphne episode he is mocked by Cupid (Ovid’s former guide through the world of elegy) for his boastfulness. Cupid turns the weapon Apollo has just won his great victory with upon him, forcing the conquering archer to submit to the throes of (elegiac) love. Thus, an elegiac character has subverted an epic character, and Ovid has cleverly denounced the epic tone of the preceding tale of the Python, with all its exaggeration and gory detail. The episode continues, telling the story of Apollo’s failed love and unrequited desire, extending the ‘failed epic’ theme. Parallels of this concept may be found in the Phaethon story, where Ovid aligns himself with another epic failure, in the figure of boy who attempts to take on the role of Helios and fly through the heavens in a golden chariot, in the Metamorphoses mini-epic. Although Ovid’s great poem has all the length, scope, and hexameters of epic poetry, elegiac topics continue to draw him back to his previous generic devotion.
Another example of Ovid’s genre-bending can be found in Book V, in the story of Persephone, told by the muse Calliope. Here the perpetuum/deducite programme is continued, as is the clever insertion of elegy into an emphatically epic context. This is conveyed in two separate, but simultaneous ways, the first being the episode’s relevance to Ovid’s oevre, and the second the setting in which it is told. The appearance of the Persephone story in the Metamorphoses constitutes a repeat telling by Ovid, the first having appeared in his Fasti. There the poet pushed the bounds of elegy by telling the Persephone story in an epic light, though in a very elegiac context. This is a reversal of the technique employed in the later Metamorphoses, for here Ovid already had his epic setting and intention. At the very outset of the competition between the muses of Mt. Helicon and the Pierides, Calliope declares that her tale will be a carmina digna dea, thus suggesting Ovid’s intention of creating a hyper-epic framework in which to place the episode. The poet must both develop the scope of his art and bear in mind the feats of his immediate predecessor. As Hinds put it, his epic must surpass his epic-elegy in dignitas, which would lead him to pure epic. This, however, had been recently achieved by Virgil, and in the grandest style possible. Therefore, Ovid sets out to transgress the bounds of both epic and elegy, of both his own work, and of Virgil’s.
The setting and frame of the Persephone episode are critical to this endeavor. It is clear that Calliope is the speaker of the story, due to the contrivance of the contest. Thus, the oldest and most ‘serious’ muse of poetry is weaving a tale in her own home, on Mt. Helicon. This certainly recalls Apollo’s association with the Python story in Book I, though at this point Ovid is preparing to handle the elegiac-epic balance in a much more serious light. Additionally, the Muses typically inspire mortal men to write of love. Here, the muse herself speaks of epic. So what of the Persephone story itself? Perhaps the most curious aspect of the episode is the fact that, within the context so carefully constructed, Ovid has chosen a somewhat distinctly un-epic topic for his muse’s carmina digna dea. When compared with the Pereid’s Gigantomachy, a tale of divine kidnapping seems distinctly levis. Nonetheless, the muses of Mt. Helicon are declared victorious, the Pereid’s tale being deemed overly pretentious or pompous. One instantly recalls Cupid’s derision of Apollo’s epic attempts, and the programmatic statement of Book I comes into sharp relief. With Persephone, Ovid chose to use all the grandiosity of epic to his advantage, while retelling an episode from his own body of work, walking not in the shadow of Virgil, but along his own path of artistic development.
However, the lines dividing elegiac story and epic setting are not made entirely clear by Ovid. He chose to add a distinctly epic aspect to the Persephone story, defining its uniqueness from his Fasti version and simultaneously referencing the Aeneid. By including Venus’ plot to hold a greater portion of the Universe under her sway, through the agency of Cupid and the enslavement of Pluto’s heart, Ovid adds an element of divine machinery to an elegiac love story. This is almost an exact mirroring of Juno’s cooperation with Cupid to prevent Aeneas’ founding of Rome. Although the motivations differ, the characterizations are quite similar. This skillful balancing and cross-referencing of epic and elegy also manages to maintain the essence of Ovid’s wit and inherent cleverness, in that this most epic allusion lies in a section entirely devoid of the human machinery of heroism: bows, arrows, and spears. The only weapons in the Persephone episode are the darts of Cupid.
The programmatic aspects of Book I are not conveyed through theme and concept alone, but also in the structural frameworks set out in the early part of the Metamorphoses, helping to give the poem as a whole a feeling of narrative consistency. Throughout the whole of the poem, Ovid consistently attaches abrupt or brief transformations to the ends of his more extended narratives, and more epic works, the Phaethon episode being a notable example. Interspersing these more epic turns with lighter tales helps prevent the graver topics from weighing down the rest of the poem. A second technique assisting the perpetuitas of the Metamorphoses is the fact that the poem as a whole follows a chronological narrative sequence, with brief flashbacks employed to resolve organizational difficulties or ambiguities within the myths themselves. Generally, the poem is divided in to four main chronological groups, the Cosmogony, the Amours, the Heroes, and the Troy-Rome sequence. These general groups allow for flexibility within the sections, giving Ovid opportunities to create contrasts of mood or tone. Another device used to convey congruity is the tale-within-a-tale scheme, which was used in the times of Homer, but refined by Callimachus, and is now referred to as an epyllion. The inset story of Pan, told by Mercury to Argus in the Io episode, is a good example. It provides both a contrast to the Io story and a link to the tale of Syrinx. perpetuitas is maintained through this linking, and the pattern recurs with frequency throughout the poem. Lastly, by allowing certain longer episodes to extend beyond the end of one book into the beginning of another, including the Phaethon episode, Ovid creates a sense of continuity between books, and at the same time shows pointed disregard for the narrative-book divisions used by Virgil in the Aeneid.
With the Metamorphoses, Ovid set out with a very ambitious goal: to reach a new level of artistic realization, and to write a great work of poetry capable of following that of the Aeneid. The theme and concept of such a poem must be carefully thought out, and here Ovid succeeds entirely. The poet declares in his opening proem that he will create a work that is both perpetuum and deducite, and the themes and structure of the episodes contained in Book I help set out a system and approach that will carry the theme of mythical transformations down throughout the entirety of 12,000 lines, from the beginning of time to the age of Augustus.