# Story of Ants Changed to Men explained — Metamorphoses

> Chapter companion for Metamorphoses by Ovid.

## 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.

## Character check-ins

### 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 lines

> 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._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters/story-of-ants-changed-to-men
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/metamorphoses_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/metamorphoses_se/chapters