Metamorphoses · Chapter
Book VIII explained
This chapter recounts the tragic tale of Althaea and her son Meleager, whose life depends on a brand; when Meleager kills her brothers, Althaea burns the brand, causing his death.
What happens
This chapter recounts the tragic tale of Althaea and her son Meleager, whose life depends on a brand; when Meleager kills her brothers, Althaea burns the brand, causing his death. It also includes the story of Baucis and Philemon, an elderly couple who show hospitality to gods and are rewarded, and the tale of Erisichthon who defiles Ceres' grove and is punished. Additionally, it covers the story of Nisus and Scylla, where Scylla betrays her father for love of Minos.
Themes in this chapter
Violence and Revenge
Althaea's revenge on her son Meleager for killing her brothers drives the central tragedy.
Transformation and Metamorphosis
Baucis and Philemon transform into trees; Proteus changes shapes; Erisichthon's daughter has shape-shifting powers.
Divine Power and Human Folly
Erisichthon's defiance of Ceres leads to his downfall; Baucis and Philemon are rewarded for piety.
Love and Desire
Scylla's love for Minos leads her to betray her father and city.
Characters to notice
- Jove
Appears as the sire of gods who grants Baucis and Philemon their wish.
- Theseus
Inquisitive listener to Achelous's stories about transformations.
- Minerva
Implied as a goddess associated with wisdom, though not directly named in excerpts.
- Ceres
Her grove is profaned by Erisichthon, leading to his punishment.
- Bacchus
Mentioned in context of divine transformations and stories.
- Neptune
Referenced as a god of the sea in the context of Proteus.
- Apollo
Phoebus is invoked in the description of the turret and the sisters' lament.
- Diana
Cursed by Althaea in her grief over her brothers' deaths.
Key passages
“furies thrice invoked aloud: “Come, come, revenging sisters, come and view A sister paying her dead brothers’ due: A crime I punish, and a crime commit; But blood for blood, and death for death, is fit: Great crimes must be with greater crimes repaid, And second funerals on the former laid.”
Althaea calls upon the Furies to witness her act of vengeance, acknowledging that she is both punishing a crime and committing one, as she seeks to avenge her brothers by killing her son.
Althaea's internal conflict and justification for revenge.
“Then thus the sire of gods, with looks serene: ‘Speak thy desire, thou only just of men; And thou, O woman, only worthy found To be with such a man in marriage bound.’”
Jove, with a calm expression, tells Baucis and Philemon to ask for any wish because they are the only righteous people.
Divine reward for hospitality.
“Her atheist sire the slighted gods defied, And ritual honours to their shrines denied. As fame reports, his hand an axe sustain’d, Which Ceres’ consecrated grove profaned; Which durst the venerable gloom invade, And violate with light the awful shade.”
Erisichthon, an atheist, defied the gods and refused them worship; he took an axe to Ceres' sacred grove, daring to disturb its holy darkness.
Erisichthon's impiety and desecration.
