MYTHOLOGICAL COUPLES & TRANSFORMATIONS
A)CUPID (EROS) & PSYCHE:Psyche was a young woman whose beauty attracted the jealousy (and therefore the wrath) of Venus. As a result, the goddess sent Cupid to make Psyche fall in love with some hideous creature. But when Cupid saw her, he fell in love with the mortal beauty. Cupid then placed Psyche in a palace and told her that he could only visit her at night. Psyche was never allowed to see him in the light. If she did he would vanish from her life. Each night Cupid visited Psyche after dark and left before the light of day. Psyche’s sisters became jealous and told her she wasn’t allowed to see her lover because he was hideous. One night Psyche’s curiosity got the better of her. She brought an oil lamp into the room where Cupid slept. When the girl raised the lamp over him, she beheld his godly beauty. When a drop of hot oil fell from the lamp onto him, Cupid awoke and, in his anger at her disobedience, vanished. The penitent Psyche then sought Cupid throughout the world. Venus took advantage of the situation by giving Psyche a series of seemingly impossible tasks. One task was to sort out various different grains from a huge pile, a task that had to be completed in one night’s time. Some ants took pity on her and a horde of the little creatures separated the pile before daybreak. Another task was to go to the Underworld and bring back a casket of beauty from Proserpina. Once again Psyche’s curiosity compelled her to open the casket which contained a deadly sleep (in addition to beauty). Although Psyche fell victim to the deadly sleep, Cupid was able to get Jupiter to intervene. Cupid was then allowed to marry Psyche and bring her to Olympus. This story is related to us by the poet Apuleius, a poet from the 2ndcentury A.D., in his “Metamorphoses” (also called “The Golden Ass”)the only Latin novel that survives in its entirety.
B) DAPHNE & APOLLO: Daphne was a nymph who was a virgin huntress. She preferred the company of her female friends with whom she would hunt. One day a young man named Leucippus joined the group disguised as a woman. Apollo, who had his eye on Daphne, was jealous and inspired the maidens to go bathing after the hunt. Leucippus refused but the maidens forced him to undress and he was discovered. Outraged by the deception, Daphne’s female companions killed him with their weapons.
In another story, Apollo angered Cupid by mocking his archery skills. As a result he was shot by Cupid’s arrow and thereby made to fall madly in love with Daphne. Cupid then shot Daphne with another arrow which had the opposite effect. She vigorously fled Apollo’s advances, but the god continued to pursue her. Finally she begged her father, a river-god to help her. He answered her prayers by changing her into a laurel tree. As a tribute to her Apollo used laurel leaves to decorate his lyre and bow and the laurel crown became the prize for victors at the Pythian Games. This story is told byOvid in his “Metamorphoses”.
C) BAUCIS & PHILEMON: Jupiter and Mercury, disguised as travelers, stopped in a town in Phyrgia, looking for a place to stay. But none of the residents in the town would help them. Finally on the edge of town an elderly couple, Baucis & Philemon, let in the travelers, giving them what little food and drink they had as well as their beds. Later the gods revealed their true identities to the couple and led them to a mountain top. When the couple looked down, they saw their town was covered in water. All the inhabitants were drowned for their inhospitality. The house of the elderly couple was transformed into a temple. The gods then told the couple that they would grant them any wish. Baucis & Philemon requested that they be allowed to tend the gods’ temple. They happily served the there until they were very old. Just before they died they were transformed into an oak and linden tree which grew together.
D) NIOBE, was the daughter of Tantalus (king of Lydia)and Dione. She was the wife of King Amphion of Thebes. According to Ovid, the couple had seven daughters and seven sons (other sources say six)of whom she wasexcessively proud. When the people of Thebes paid homage to Leto on her feast day, Niobe became upset that such a goddess was being honored. She made the foolish boast that she was superior to Leto, mother of only two children, Apollo and Artemis. Her hubris brought on the ire of Leto who sent Apollo and Artemis to exact punishment on Niobe. The god and goddess killed all of Niobe’s children with their unerring arrows. Niobe’s grief was as excessive as her pride had been. She pined away the rest of her life and eventually to her home in Lydia where she was turned to stone, that is, into Mt. Sipyluswhere streams of water, her tears, flow endlessly.
MYTHOLOGICAL PAIRS QUESTIONS #1
1.VENUS Which goddess became jealous of the beautiful mortal Psyche?
2. What plan did the goddess make?
SEND CUPID TO MAKE HER FALL IN LOVE WITH HIDEOUS CREATURE
3.HE FELL IN LOVE What happened when Cupid saw Psyche?
4.PUT HER IN HIS PALACE TO LIVE What did Cupid do with Psyche?
5.What one restriction did the god make?
SHE COULD NEVER SEE HIM IN THE LIGHT OF DAY.
6.What mean thing did Pysche’s sisters say about her lover?
SHE COULDN’T SEE HIM IN THE LIGHT BECAUSE HE WAS HIDEOUS
7.How did Cupid get awakened?
WHILE LOOKING AT HIM A DROP OF OIL FELL & AWAKENED HIM
8.VENUS What goddess took advantage of the situation and exploited Psyche?
9.ANTS What creatures came to her aid to sort out grain?
10.PROSERPINA From whom in the Underworld did she have to retrieve something?
11.A DEADLY SLEEP What unexpected consequence was there in opening the container?
12.JUPITER What god intervened for Cupid?
13.What was the happy outcome of this story?
THEY MARRIED & WERE ALLOWED TO LIVE ON OLYMPUS
14. METAMORPHOSES What is the name of the work from which this comes?
15. THE GOLDEN ASS What is another name for this work?
16. APULEIUS Who is the author is this work?
17. What is unusual about this work of literature?
IT’S THE ONLY LATIN NOVEL TO SURVIVE IN ITS ENTIRETY.
18. A NYMPH What kind of creature was Daphne?
19. HUNTING What was her favorite pastime?
20. LEUCIPPUS Who, disguised as a woman, joined the hunt?
21. APOLLO Which god, who also had his eye on Daphne, intervened?
22. TO BATH What did the god inspire the maidens to do?
23. KILLED HIM What did the maidens do after the discovered the deception?
25. CUPID Whose archery skills did Apollo mock?
26. DAPHNE With whom did Cupid compel Apollo to fall in love?
27. What did Cupid do to ensure Daphne did not reciprocate love for Apollo?
CUPID SHOT HER WITH AN ARROW SO SHE WOULD BE REPULSED BY HIM
28. HER FATHER From whom Daphne seek help?
29. LAUREL TREE Into what form did he change her?
30. How did Apollo honor Daphne?
USED LAUREL LEAVES TO DECORATE HIS LYRE & BOW; LAUREL CROWN FOR VICTORS OF PYTHIAN GAMES.
31. JUPITER & MERCURY What two gods disguised themselves as travelers, visiting a town in Phyrgia?
32. POORLY How were the two gods received?
33. BAUCIS & PHILEMON What old couple finally took them in?
34. THEY REVEALED THEMSELVES How did the couple find out they were gods?
35. MOUTAIN TOP NEARBY Where did the gods take the couple?
36. DROWNED BY FLOOD What happened to the inhospitable residents of the town?
37. TURNED INTO TEMPLE What happened to the couple’s simple hut?
38. TEND THE TEMPLE What request did the old couple make?
39. OAK & LINDEN WHICH GREW TOGETHER What transformation did the elderly couple eventually make?
40.KING AMPHION OF THEBES Who was the husband of Niobe?
41.SEVEN How many daughters did Niobe have?
42.SEVEN How many sons did Niobe have?
43.LETO Who was the goddess whose worship upset Niobe?
44.THAT SHE WAS SUPERIOR TO LETO What foolish boast did she make?
45.APOLLO & ARTEMIS Who were the children of Leto?
46.ARTEMIS & APOLLO SLEW HER CHILDREN What punishment did Leto exact?
47.SHE TURNED INTO MT. SIPYLUS What became of Niobe in her grief?
48.THE STREAMS OF WATER FLOWING OVER IT What became her tears?
49.OVID Who is the Roman author of a version of this story?
50.METAMORHOSES What is the name of the work from which this is taken?
MYTHOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATIONS #1
1.______Which goddess became jealous of the beautiful mortal Psyche?
2. What plan did the goddess make?
______
3.______What happened when Cupid saw Psyche?
4.______What did Cupid do with Psyche?
5.What one restriction did the god make?
______
6.What mean thing did Pysche’s sisters say about her lover?
______
7.How did Cupid get awakened?
______
8.______What goddess took advantage of the situation and exploited Psyche?
9.______What creatures came to her aid to sort out grain?
10.______From whom in the Underworld did she have to retrieve something?
11.______What unexpected consequence was there in opening the container?
12.______What god intervened for Cupid?
13.What was the happy outcome of this story?
______
14. ______What is the name of the work from which this comes?
15. ______What is another name for this work?
16. ______Who is the author is this work?
17. What is unusual about this work of literature?
______
18. ______What kind of creature was Daphne?
19. ______What was her favorite pastime?
20. ______Who, disguised as a woman, joined the hunt?
21. ______Which god, who also had his eye on Daphne, intervened?
22. ______What did the god inspire the maidens to do?
23. ______What did the maidens do after the discovered the deception?
25. ______Whose archery skills did Apollo mock?
26. ______With whom did Cupid compel Apollo to fall in love?
27. What did Cupid do to ensure Daphne did not reciprocate love for Apollo?
______
28. ______From whom Daphne seek help?
29. ______Into what form did he change her?
30. How did Apollo honor Daphne? ______
______
31. ______What two gods disguised themselves as travelers, visiting a
town in Phyrgia?
32. ______How were the two gods received?
33. ______& ______What old couple finally took them in?
34. ______How did the couple find out they were gods?
35. ______Where did the gods take the couple?
36. ______What happened to the inhospitable residents of the town?
37. ______What happened to the couple’s simple hut?
38. ______What request did the old couple make?
39. What transformation did the elderly couple eventually make?
______
40.______Who was the husband of Niobe?
41.______How many daughters did Niobe have?
42.______SEVEN How many sons did Niobe have?
43.______Who was the goddess whose worship upset Niobe?
44.______What foolish boast did she make?
45.______Who were the children of Leto?
46.______What punishment did Leto exact?
47.______What became of Niobe in her grief?
48.______What became her tears?
49.______Who is the Roman author of a version of this story?
50.______What is the name of the work from which this is taken?
MYTHOLICAL COUPLES #2
A) PYRAMUS & THISBE:
Two young lovers lived next door to one another in the city of Babylon. The two could not marry because their parents who were rivals, forbade it. Each day the two would talk to each other through a crack in the wall. One night the two planned to run away and meet near the Tomb of Ninus on the outskirts of town where there was a spring next to a mulberry tree. Thisbe arrived first but was scared off by a lioness which came to drink at the spring. The lioness, which had recently killed some prey, playfully took the girls veil which had fallen off when Thisbe rushed off. When Pyramus arrived he saw the bloody veil in the mouth of the lioness and assumed the worst. In his despair he killed himself with his sword. Thisbe later returned and saw her dead lover and killed herself in turn. The blood of the two soaked into the ground beneath the mulberry. Thereafter the snowy white mulberries turned a deep red.
B) ORPHEUS & EURYDICE:
Orpheus and the dryad (tree nymph) Eurydice were madly in love with each other. One day after their wedding Eurydice was walking in a field and was bitten by a snake and died. Orpheus refused to accept the death of his wife. Thus he went down to Hades where he, by means of his music, charmed Persephone into releasing Eurydice. There was one condition though; Orpheus could look back as he led Eurydice out of the Underworld. All was well until just before the end when Orpheus gazed back to make sure that Eurydice was still behind him. Instantly she vanished and Orpheus lost his love forever.
C) DEUCALION & PYRRHA:
Deucalion was the son of Prometheus, while his wife Pyrrha was the daughter of Epimetheus. Mankind had become so wicked that Zeus decided to destroy mankind with a flood. Thus Prometheus had his son Deucalion build an ark and stock it with food. It floated for nine days, finally resting on Mt. Parnassus. The couple then offered thanks to the gods, but noticed that man was no more. They consulted the oracle (some say Delphi) which told them to “cast the bones of the mother over their backs”. The couplewas at first confused but realized their “mother” was “mother earth” and her bones were the “stones of the earth”. The coupled complied with the oracle and those stones which Pyrrha cast became women and those of Deucalion became men.
D) PYGMALION & GALATEA:
Pygmalion was a sculptor from Cyprus. He became disenchanted with women after encountering a prostitute. One day he began to carve a beautiful statue of the ideal woman. He fell in love with this statue. One day on the festival of Venus, he went to make an offering to the goddess, praying that his statue would become a real woman. Feeling pity for the man, Venus turned the statue into a real woman. She was named Galatea. Pygmalion married her and the two had a daughter, Paphos (or Metharme).
MYTHOLOGICAL COUPLES #2
1.______What is the name of the young couple which lived next
door to each other, but whose parents would not allow them to see each other.
2.______How were the two able to talk to each other?
3.______Near what tomb did the two plan to rendezvous?
4.______What natural features were near this tomb?
5.______What caused Thisbe to run off?
6.______What happened to the girl’s veil?
7.______What did Pyramus think?
8.______What did Pyramus do in reaction?
9.______What did Thisbe do when she returned and saw Pyramus?
10.______What kind of tree turned its berries from white to a deep red?
11.______What kind of creature was Eurydice?
12.______Who was the wife of Orpheus?
13.______What tragedy happened on their wedding day?
13.______What did Orpheus then do?
14.______Whom did he charm into letting Eurydice go?
15.______How did he do this?
16.______What one condition was Orpheus given?
17.______What happened just before they escaped?
18.______What happened to Eurydice?
19.______and ______What couple built an ark to escape Jupiter’s flood?
20.______What was the reason for the flood?
21.______For how long did the ark float?
22.______Where did it come to rest?
23.______What did the oracle tell them?
24.______What did the oracle mean?
25.______Where was Pygmalion from?
26.______With what had he become disenchanted?
27.______What kind of statue did he carve?
28.______To whom did he pray to bring her to life?
29.______What was her name?
30.______What was the name of their daughter?
G) PYGMALION & GALATEA: Pygmalion had a statue of the ideal woman made
for him. He fell in love with this statue. One day Venus, feeling pity for the man,
turned the statue into a real woman. She was named Galatea. Pygmalion
married her and the two had a daughter, Paphos (or Metharme)
H) ECHO & NARSISSUS: The nymph Echo was a notorious babbler. Hera, greatly
annoyed by her, ordained that Echo should no longer be able to speak, but
merely repeat the last words which someone else spoke. One day she fell in love
with Narcissus, who was too in love with himself, and thus spurned Echo’s
advances. Echo wasted away so that the only thing left of her was her sound.