Metamorphoses · Chapter
Story of Ants Changed to Men explained
King Aeacus recounts to Cephalus how a devastating plague sent by Juno depopulated his kingdom of Aegina.
What happens
King Aeacus recounts to Cephalus how a devastating plague sent by Juno depopulated his kingdom of Aegina. In desperation, he prays to Jupiter to restore his people. Jupiter answers by transforming the ants from a sacred oak into men, who become the Myrmidons—a frugal, industrious race that retains the thrift of ants.
Themes in this chapter
Transformation and Metamorphosis
Ants are transformed into human beings, the Myrmidons, illustrating a literal metamorphosis from insect to man.
Divine Power and Human Folly
Juno's vengeful plague and Jupiter's restorative miracle demonstrate the gods' absolute power over life and death.
Creation and Order from Chaos
Aeacus's kingdom is reduced to ruin by plague, then repopulated through divine intervention, restoring order from devastation.
Characters to notice
- Jove
Aeacus prays to Jove to repeople his kingdom; Jove responds with lightning and thunder, then transforms ants into men.
- Juno
Juno sends a dreadful plague upon Aegina because the land bears the name of her rival.
- Aeacus
King of Aegina who narrates the plague and the miraculous transformation of ants into the Myrmidons.
- Cephalus
Listener to Aeacus's story; visits the court and is greeted by the princes.
Key passages
“A dreadful plague from angry Juno came, To scourge the land that bore her rival’s name.”
Juno sent a terrible plague to punish the land named after her rival.
The plague is attributed to Juno's wrath against Aegina, named after the nymph Aegina, a lover of Jupiter.
“I saw, and own’d, and call’d them subjects; they Confess’d my power, submissive to my sway.”
I recognized them as my people, and they accepted me as their king.
Aeacus acknowledges the transformed ants as his new subjects, and they submit to his rule.
“To Jove, restorer of my race decay’d, My vows were first with due oblations paid; I then divide, with an impartial hand, My empty city, and my ruin’d land, To give the newborn youth an equal share, And call them Myrmidons, from what they were.”
I first offered sacrifices to Jove for restoring my people, then fairly divided my empty city and ruined land among the new youths, naming them Myrmidons after their origin as ants.
Aeacus honors Jupiter, then distributes land equally to the newly created men, naming them Myrmidons from the Greek word for ant.