Ovid

Ovid’s Metamorphoses


‘The Ages of Mankind’

4. The Golden Age is described as being perfect. There were no laws because mankind had no problems, they were all at peace.

The Golden Age changed to the Silver Age after Saturn ‘was driven to the shadowy land of death,’ and Jove took over the world.

The Silver Age is described as being ‘lower than gold, better than bronze.’ Seasons were made in this age; spring was shortened and winter was added for the first time. In this age men had to work.

The Bronze Age is described as an aggressive time that was evil, but not completely.

The Bronze Age ended when all evil was let loose into the world, this began the Iron Age.

The Iron Age is described as being completely evil and that all the good left the world. Mankind was violent, greedy, sly and plotting. This age was full of fighting. Also, the heavens were not at peace as giants were causing wars.


5. Jove’s intentions were to kill off the Iron Age humans because they were causing too much destruction in the world. Deucalion and Pyrrha survived the flood because they worshipped Corycian nymphs, native powers and then the oracle Themis. Jove saw them floating in the flood water and decided to let them live because they were ‘both innocent and worshipful.’




Book 10

Orpheus and Euridyce

13. Orpheus asks Persephone to be allowed into Hades so that he can bring back his wife who was killed by snake venom. He tells her that he has no interest in causing any trouble in Hades (he does not want to kill the three headed dog), he simply wants to bring back his wife because he has failed at living without her. The Underworld Gods allow Orpheus to bring back his wife Euridyce, but with one condition. Orpheus was not allowed to look at her until she was out of Hades completely and if he looked at her she would vanish and he could not have her.

14. Orpheus has the powers to control his readers/listeners with his words. He is able to break open his listeners weak spot with his words so that he can use there weakness to get a desired emotion.

15. The significance of the course of love Ovid follows after he loses Eurydices is that he refuses to love. He made a promise to his wife that he would only love her, and that is his only connection to her so he holds on to it tightly.