Book II
Book two picks up Phaethon’s story as he travels to the sun’s palace. Ovid describes the sumptuous space and the sea gods and spirits that rule the days and seasons who dwell there. Phoebus questions his son’s presence and wonders how anyone could think the sun denies his child. The sun embraces Phaethon and promises the boy is “truly” his son. To assuage the boy’s anxiety, Phoebus says Phaethon can ask him any favor, and the boy pleads to drive the sun’s chariot. The sun god tries to warn him of the danger—driving the chariot is difficult even for an immortal to negotiate—but Phaethon is unconvinced. Phoebus claims that his concern for his son’s well-being should be proof enough of his parentage, but Phaethon insists on taking the chariot anyway, so Phoebus attempts to prepare him for what he will face.
Sure enough, Phaethon has neither the weight nor experience to control the chariot, and he regrets his obstinance as he crashes into constellations and sets fire to the earth. The seas are dried up, and even the god and goddess of the underworld become afraid when the earth cracks and exposes their realm. Mother Earth chastises Phoebus for allowing such destruction to occur. To resolve the crisis, Jupiter strikes Phaethon with a thunderbolt, killing him immediately. Naiads bury the boy’s body and engrave a tombstone. As Phoebus mourns, the earth experiences a day-long solar eclipse. Phaethon’s sisters mourn endlessly at his grave until each is transformed into a tree. Cycnus, a relative of the family, watches their metamorphosis before changing into a swan himself. Phoebus briefly refuses to ride his chariot but is eventually forced to by Jupiter.
After the destruction wrought by Phaethon, Jupiter surveys the earth and finds the surrounding “walls of the sky” are intact though weakened. He sets about repairing the damage, replacing rivers and seas as well as grass and leaves. While about his task, the god catches sight of Callisto, “an Arcadian virgin” who is a great favorite of the goddess Diana. Jupiter changes himself into Diana to win over the maiden, but she realizes it is not Diana once the god grabs her roughly. Callisto tries to escape but is assaulted by Jupiter.
When the real Diana spots the maiden, she calls her over to join her and the nymphs as they bathe. Callisto knows the goddess will see her shame and refuses to undress. Eventually, she must give in to Diana’s demands, and the goddess exiles her from her company. Once Callisto births a child named Arcas, Juno learns of her husband’s infidelity and punishes the girl by changing her into a bear. Callisto struggles to adjust to her new state and groans in agony. Later, once Arcas is a teenager, he hunts in the forest, and Callisto recognizes him. Arcas would have killed his mother unknowingly; instead, Jupiter places them side by side as constellations, much to Juno’s ire.
Ovid tells the story of how the raven was changed from white to black because of his “talkative nature.” A beautiful girl named Coronis, coveted by Apollo, had been spotted by the raven having an affair. The raven gossiped to the crow, and the crow warned the raven not to gossip based on her own experience, then told the story of her life: one day, the crow reported to its goddess, Minerva, that one of the three daughters of Cecrops disobeyed orders. In response, Minerva demoted the crow and claimed the owl as her new protector. The crow also relates that she was once a princess and was pursued by the...
(This entire section contains 1221 words.)
Unlock this Study Guide Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
sea god Neptune. When she avoided the god’s advances and prayed to the virgin goddesses, she was transformed into a bird and assigned to be Minerva’s attendant. The crow tells the raven the story of the owl, Nyctimene, who was blamed for the incest she had to endure from her father.
The raven, however, disregarded the crow’s warnings and told Apollo what he saw. As a result of the news, Apollo shot Coronis with an arrow, and in his immediate regret, blamed the raven for telling him of the girl’s infidelity. Apollo burned Coronis on a funeral pyre but could not bear to lose the child she was carrying, so he took the child from her womb and moved him to Chiron’s cave. The raven was turned black for reporting the truth to his god.
In “Ocyrhoe,” Chiron has been raising Aesculapius, the child of Apollo and Coronis, when Chiron’s daughter, Ocyrhoe, appears and grants the boy divine powers in healing and medicine. Alongside the gift, Ocyrhoe also prophesies that he will attract the ire of Jupiter, be struck with a lightning bolt, then be brought back to divine life. She notes that Chiron has also been made immortal but foresees that he will incur an injury from an arrow poisoned with Hydra blood that will make him wish he could die. His pain will lead the gods to consent to turn him mortal. Ocryhoe adds that she is angering the gods with her prediction and wishes she did not have this gift. Shortly after she finishes speaking, she is transformed into a mare.
Chiron begs Apollo for help, but he will not overturn Jupiter’s edict. At the time, the god is disguised as a shepherd and playing a pipe, unaware that his cattle are wandering from him. An old man called Battus notices, but Mercury tells the man to act like he has not seen the cattle and gives him a cow as a gift. Battus promises, but when Mercury returns in another guise, the old man is persuaded by this new man’s offer of both a cow and her bull. Mercury laughs at the man’s treachery and turns him into a stone.
As Mercury travels to Athens, he sees a group of maidens proceeding to a sacrifice. When he spots Herse, he is struck by her beauty and prepares to speak to her undisguised. Aglauros, another maiden in the procession, notices Mercury’s approach, and he speaks to her, revealing his intention to woo and impregnate Herse. The girl asks for gold in return for her help, which offends Minerva. The goddess then visits Envy to get some venom to infect Aglauros with to punish her betrayal. Once the venom has been administered, Aglauros becomes jealous of her sister Herse, so much so that she attempts to bar Mercury from entering Herse’s chamber. She claims she will not be persuaded to move from her place; Mercury repays her for this resistance by turning her into a stone statue.
When Mercury returns to the land of the gods, Jupiter requests that Mercury lead his cattle to the seashore. Jupiter knows the beach is where he can find Europa, his latest romantic conquest. To approach her, Jupiter changes himself into a bull. Europa places a flower garland on his head and begins to pet the bull. She eventually rides astride the bull, unaware that it is Jupiter in disguise. The bull begins to run into the ocean with Europa on his back, as she looks back at the shore in fear.
Expert Q&A
What is the main idea and myth in book 2 of The Metamorphoses between Europa, Mercury, and Jupiter?
The main idea in Book 2 of Ovid's The Metamorphoses involves Jupiter's deceptive seduction of Europa. Jupiter, akin to Zeus, uses trickery by transforming into a bull to gain Europa's trust and abduct her to Crete. This myth highlights Jupiter's relentless pursuit of his desires and serves as an origin story for the Minoan civilization, King Minos, and the naming of Europe after Europa, illustrating the lengths Jupiter will go to fulfill his lust.
