# Giants' War explained — Metamorphoses

> Chapter companion for Metamorphoses by Ovid.

## What happens

The giants, sons of Coelus and Terra, attempt to storm heaven but are overthrown by Jupiter's thunder. Their blood impregnates the Earth, spawning a wicked race including Lycaon, who Jupiter transforms into a wolf for his impiety. Jupiter then decides to destroy all humanity with a great flood, sparing only Deucalion and Pyrrha, who later repopulate the world. Apollo slays the serpent Pytho and institutes the Pythian games.

## Themes in this chapter

### Divine Power and Human Folly

Jupiter's overwhelming power crushes the giants' rebellion and punishes Lycaon's impiety.

### Violence and Revenge

The giants' war, Lycaon's murder of guests, and Jupiter's destructive flood all illustrate cycles of violence.

### Creation and Order from Chaos

After the flood, Deucalion and Pyrrha repopulate the earth, and Apollo establishes the Pythian games, restoring order.

## Character check-ins

### Jove

Overthrows the giants with thunder, punishes Lycaon, and decides to flood the earth.

### Apollo

Slays the serpent Pytho and institutes the Pythian games.

### Neptune

Assists Jove by sending floods and later calms the waters after the deluge.

### Juno

Her messenger Iris helps feed the clouds with rain.

### Lyncus

Mentioned as a tyrant of Arcadia (Lycaon) who is transformed into a wolf.

## Key lines

> Nor were the gods themselves more safe above, Against beleaguer'd heaven the giants move, Hills piled on hills, on mountains mountains lie, To make their mad approaches to the sky; Till Jove, no longer patient, took his time To avenge with thunder their audacious crime.

The giants stacked mountains to reach heaven, but Jupiter finally retaliated with thunderbolts.

_Describes the giants' assault and Jupiter's response._

> The blood, indued with animating heat, Did, in the impregnant earth, new sons beget. They, like the seed from which they sprung, accursed, Against the gods immortal hatred nursed;

The giants' blood soaked into the earth and gave rise to a new race of men who hated the gods.

_Explains the origin of the wicked human race after the giants' defeat._

> The tyrant, in a fright, for shelter gains The neighb'ring fields, and scours along the plains; Howling he fled, and fain he would have spoke, But human voice his brutal tongue forsook; ... He grows a wolf, his hoariness remains, And the same rage in other members reigns.

Lycaon fled in terror, howling as he lost the power of speech, and was transformed into a wolf, retaining his savage nature.

_Describes Lycaon's metamorphosis into a wolf as punishment._

> Concludes to pour a watery deluge down, And what he durst not burn, resolves to drown.

Jupiter decided to flood the world instead of burning it, to avoid setting the heavens on fire.

_Jupiter's choice of a flood over fire as punishment._

> The most upright of mortal men was he; The most sincere and holy woman, she.

Deucalion and Pyrrha were the most righteous and devout humans.

_Describes the virtuous couple spared from the flood._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/giants-war
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/metamorphoses_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters