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Metamorphoses · Chapter

Assumption of Romulus explained

Mars petitions Jove to grant Romulus a place among the gods, fulfilling a promise to deify the founder of Rome.

What happens

Mars petitions Jove to grant Romulus a place among the gods, fulfilling a promise to deify the founder of Rome. Mars ascends to the skies, retrieves Romulus from his throne on the Palatine, and transports him to heaven, where he is purified and becomes the god Quirinus.

Themes in this chapter

  • Transformation and Metamorphosis

    Romulus is transformed from a mortal king into the god Quirinus, his gross parts refined as he ascends to the heavens.

  • Divine Power and Human Folly

    Mars and Jove exercise their divine authority to elevate a mortal, demonstrating the gods' control over fate and apotheosis.

Characters to notice

  • Mars

    Petitions Jove to deify Romulus, then drives his chariot to the Palatine to carry Romulus to the skies.

  • Jove

    Nods in assent to Mars's request, confirming the fated deification of Romulus.

  • Romulus

    Founder of Rome, taken by Mars to heaven, purified, and transformed into the god Quirinus.

Key passages

  • “The god Mars translates Romulus to the skies, where hew inrolled in the number of the gods under the name of Qurinus.”

    Mars carries Romulus up to heaven, where he is enrolled among the gods and renamed Quirinus.

    Opening lines describing the central event of the chapter.

  • “The parts more pure, in rising are refined, The gross and perishable lag behind.”

    As Romulus ascends, his pure elements are refined while his mortal, corruptible parts fall away.

    Describes the purification process of Romulus's apotheosis.

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