How does the Metamorphoses embody Roman ideals and/or historical events?

Question

Metamorphoses is a book written by Ovid.

Answer 1

Hello! Thank you for your question, I'd be happy to help.

In answer to your question, the Metamorphoses embodies Roman historical events to the extent that it ambitiously narrates a chronology linking the creation of the world to the death of Julius Ceaser (a crucial event in Roman history which occurred prior to Ovid's death). The work thus attempts a kind of "universal history," presenting the history of mankind as culminating in Roman history. This, in other words, suggests that Rome's history is of universal significance.

The work could be said to embody various Roman ideals of Auctoritas (spiritual authority), Pietas (Dutifulness and devotion), Genius ("spirit of Rome"), et al. The work relies upon a claim to auctoritas (Ovid's presumed ability to discern universal events), Pietas (respect of Roman gods, exaltation of Love), Genius (privileging of Roman experience in connection with broader religious, moral and historical themes), among other virtues that Romans valued.

For more on Roman virtues, take a look at this resource: http://www.novaroma.org/nr/Roman_virtues

Please let me know if you have any further questions!

Kindly,

-G

Answer 2

Hello Lucinda,

Thanks for your question! I can think of one way Ovid's Metamorphoses embodies certain Roman historical events.

Many of Ovid's stories and legends depict much violence fueled by lust on the part of the gods. In a way, many of his renderings of Rome's "founding myths," with their images of uncontrollable desire coupled with acts of attempted abduction (usually of a virgin woman), mirror the historical events which take place in 753 BCE. According to legend, this is when Romulus and Remus founded Rome, with Romulus eventually killing his brother Remus in order to become king (this was long before Rome was a republic). It was also recorded that Romulus and his army, when they conquered the neighboring Sabine tribe, attempted to marry their women. When the women's fathers refused to let them marry any of the Romans, the soldiers killed the Sabine men and kidnapped their daughters and wives. This bears similarity with the way that figures in the Metamorphosis, such as the Roman god Jupiter, for example, force themselves onto unwilling victims. Putting this together, one can say that Ovid's work embodies Rome's bloody beginnings in that it mirrors how the Romans conquered the Sabines.

I hope this was helpful.

-Aaron W.