# Book VI explained — Metamorphoses

> Chapter companion for Metamorphoses by Ovid.

## What happens

The chapter recounts the brutal story of Tereus, Procne, and Philomela. Tereus, king of Thrace, marries Procne but later rapes her sister Philomela and cuts out her tongue to silence her. Philomela weaves her story into a tapestry and sends it to Procne. In revenge, Procne kills her own son Itys and serves him to Tereus as a meal. The chapter culminates in the sisters' revenge and the transformation of all three into birds.

## Themes in this chapter

### Violence and Revenge

The central theme: Tereus's brutal rape and mutilation of Philomela is met with Procne's horrific revenge, including filicide and cannibalism.

### Transformation and Metamorphosis

The chapter ends with the transformation of Tereus, Procne, and Philomela into birds, a key metamorphosis in the epic.

### Love and Desire

Tereus's lustful desire for Philomela drives the tragic plot, perverting familial and marital bonds.

## Character check-ins

### Philomela

The victim of Tereus's rape and mutilation; she weaves her story into a tapestry to communicate with her sister.

### Tereus

The Thracian king who rapes Philomela, cuts out her tongue, and is later tricked into eating his own son.

### Procne

Philomela's sister and Tereus's wife; she takes brutal revenge by killing her son Itys and serving him to Tereus.

### Pandion

The father of Procne and Philomela; he entrusts Philomela to Tereus with tearful warnings.

### Bacchus

The god whose triennial festival provides the cover for Procne to rescue Philomela.

## Key lines

> Her sister's ill-timed grief with scorn she blames, Then, in these furious words, her rage proclaims: 'Tears, unavailing, but defer our time, The stabbing sword must expiate the crime; or worse, if wit, on bloody vengeance bent, A weapon more tormenting can invent.'

Procne scolds Philomela for crying and declares that tears are useless; only a sword or a more inventive torture can avenge the crime.

_Procne's fury shifts from grief to a thirst for inventive revenge._

> Now to a close apartment they were come, Far off retired within the spacious dome, When Procne, on revengeful mischief bent, Home to his heart a piercing poniard sent.

Procne leads her son Itys to a secluded room and stabs him to death as an act of revenge against Tereus.

_The murder of Itys is the climax of Procne's vengeance._

> With skill exact a Phrygian web she strung, Fix'd to a loom that in her chamber hung, Where inwrought letters, upon white display'd, In purple notes, her wretched case betray'd.

Philomela weaves a tapestry that spells out her story in purple letters on a white background, revealing Tereus's crime.

_Philomela uses her weaving skill to communicate despite being mute._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/book-vi
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/metamorphoses_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters