Metamorphoses · Chapter
Transformation of Ino and Melicerta to Sea-Gods explained
Juno, jealous of Ino's prosperity as nurse of Bacchus, descends to the underworld to enlist the fury Tisiphone.
What happens
Juno, jealous of Ino's prosperity as nurse of Bacchus, descends to the underworld to enlist the fury Tisiphone. Tisiphone drives Athamas mad; he mistakes his wife and children for a lioness and whelps, dashing his son Learchus against a wall. Ino flees with Melicerta and leaps from a cliff into the sea. Venus appeals to Neptune, who transforms them into sea deities: Ino becomes Leucothoe, Melicerta becomes Palaemon.
Themes in this chapter
Divine Power and Human Folly
Juno's jealousy drives her to use infernal powers to destroy Ino's family, demonstrating the destructive caprice of the gods and the folly of human pride.
Transformation and Metamorphosis
Ino and Melicerta are transformed from mortal victims of madness into immortal sea deities, Leucothoe and Palaemon.
Violence and Revenge
Juno's vengeful scheme results in Athamas murdering his son Learchus and Ino's suicidal leap, highlighting the brutal consequences of divine wrath.
Characters to notice
- Juno
Imperial Juno, jealous of Ino's prosperity, descends to the underworld to command the fury Tisiphone to drive Athamas mad.
- Ino
Proud Ino, nurse of Bacchus, is driven mad by Tisiphone's poison; she leaps from a cliff with her son Melicerta and is transformed into the sea goddess Leucothoe.
- Melicerta
Young Melicerta, Ino's son, is carried by his mother as she leaps into the sea; he becomes the sea god Palaemon.
- Neptune
Great god of waters, at Venus's request, grants Ino and Melicerta immortality and transforms them into sea deities.
- Venus
Cytherea (Venus) pities Ino and Melicerta and appeals to Neptune to grant them divine status in the sea.
- Bacchus
Bacchus's power over Thebes is acknowledged; Ino is his nurse and calls upon him as she flees in madness.
Key passages
“Imperial Juno saw her with disdain Vain in her offspring, in her consort vain, Who ruled the trembling Thebans with a nod, But saw her vainest in her foster-god.”
Juno looked down on Ino with contempt, resenting her pride in her children, her husband, and especially in her role as nurse to Bacchus.
Juno's jealousy is sparked by Ino's association with Bacchus, whom Juno despises as a 'bastard boy.'
“The same mad poison in the mother wrought: Young Melicerta in her arms she caught, And with disorder'd tresses, howling, flies, 'O! Bacchus, Evoe, Bacchus!' loud she cries.”
The same madness infected Ino: she seized her young son Melicerta, her hair disheveled, and fled shrieking, 'Bacchus! Evoe, Bacchus!'
Ino's madness mirrors her husband's, and she calls upon Bacchus as she flees.
“Pleased Neptune nodded his assent, and free Both soon became from frail mortality. He gave them form, and majesty divine, And bade them glide along the foamy brine.”
Neptune agreed and granted them immortality, giving them divine forms and commanding them to move gracefully through the sea.
Neptune's nod signifies his approval of Venus's request, and the transformation is completed.