Ovid’s Metamorphoses #052/111: “Baucis and Philomen”

What this project is about.  

This one is from Book 8

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How long it took to read this (aloud): 8 mins 39s

What it’s “about”: The party (Theseus and his mates waiting for the waters to subside) continues.  Achelous story gets pushback. Lelex then diverts and tells of B and P, which is sweet… Gods in disguise get hospitality from We Was Poor But We Was Honest B &P, who then escape a vengeful flood and spend their last years as temple caretakers.

Words I didn’t know: xx

Quotable quotes

The others disagreed with what he said 

And grew uneasy at his blasphemy, 

Particularly Lelex, who was wise, 

Mature in years as well as wit and feeling. 

He said, “The powers of heaven are eternal, 

Not to be measured by our time and space, 

And what the gods decide, their will is done: 

Meanwhile in the foothills of Phrygia 

There are two trees, a lime tree and an oak 

That grow within the ruins of a wall.

AND

Then Saturn’s son said in a quiet voice, 

‘What gift would suit a good man and his wife?’ 

And when she’d had a whispered word with Baucis 

Shy Philemon spoke up. ‘Our dearest wish is 

To be your servants in that marble temple, 

And since we’ve lived together all our lives, 

So may we share the moment of our death.’ 

And for her husband Philemon continued: 

‘I hope I never see my dear wife’s grave, 

Nor may she see earth cover my remains.’ 

Their wishes were respected, many years 

They took charge of the temple. When at last 

In frail old age they stood at ease before 

The temple’s doors and spoke of years gone by, 

Baucis saw Philemon shake leaves around her, 

And she herself saw Baucis do the same. 

Around their faces branches seemed to tremble, 

And as bark climbed their lips as if to close them, 

They cried, ‘Farewell, good-bye, dear wife, dear husband.’ 

In Thrace the natives show their visitors 

Two trees so close together that their branches 

Seem to grow upward from a single trunk.

How it lands to my eco-sensibility: xx

Obvious allusions, ways it was used (that I am aware of already) : xx

What I know I didn’t ‘get’: xx

To my knowledge, who’s used it why/how (RACC):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Old_World_Landowners

Further research questions: xx

Anything else: xx

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baucis_and_Philemon

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