Metamorphoses

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What is the Augustan Period, and why was it so important in Roman history? Which Roman literary figures are associated with this period? Stylistically, what qualities can be found in Augustan-age literature?

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Answer prompt invites students to reflect on the theme of Myth, History, and Empire. Students who are unfamiliar with the Emperor Augustus and the Augustan Period (ca. 31 BCE-14 CE) may benefit from a thorough introduction. Consider discussing Augustus’s rise to power and how his reign sparked a period of massive cultural and literary growth in Rome. You might also look at Ovid in the context of other contemporary poets, including Virgil, Propertius, and Horace. The poets of this period—whose works explored the relationship between myth and history, the artistic potential of the Latin language, and the meaning of traditional Roman values—would become some of the most important literary figures of Roman history.

• This article from Khan Academy discusses Augustus and how he transformed Rome.
• This article contains an overview of Roman literature in the Augustan Period.

2. Though Ovid is a Roman poet, the bulk of his Metamorphoses recounts ancient Greek myths. What was the relationship between the Romans and the Greeks? How did the Greeks influence Roman literature and culture?

Teaching Suggestion: As the Romans conquered more and more of the Greek world, they embraced Greece’s cultural output, bringing a lot of Greek art and literature to Rome so that they could study and imitate it. In this way, Rome became increasingly “Hellenized.” One Roman poet even wrote that “Captive Greece took its Roman captor captive, / Invading uncouth Latium with its arts” (Horace, Epistles, Book 2, Epistle 1, translated by David Ferry). Introducing Greek and Roman literature and discussing how Roman literature imitated and built upon Greek literature will strengthen students’ understanding of important historical contexts.

• This ThoughtCo. article discusses the ancient Greeks and Romans with a focus on the relationship between the two cultures.
• This article from the World History Encyclopedia discusses the ways in which Greek literature shaped Roman literature.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

What does “metamorphosis” mean to you? In what ways are emotional and spiritual transformations a kind of metamorphosis? What kinds of metamorphoses have you experienced in your life?

Teaching Suggestion: Throughout his poem, Ovid reflects on different kinds of metamorphoses, including emotional and spiritual transformation. Part of Ovid’s goal is to show that we as people are constantly changing in various ways—an idea that students can explore by reflecting on their own lives and experiences. Students may benefit from creating a list of the different kinds of metamorphoses as a class before they respond individually to the Personal Connection Prompt. This could also be a good opportunity to introduce the concept of Boundaries and Fluidity, one of the key themes of Ovid’s work, whereas fluidity can represent one’s ability to transform.