Theme Of Death In Ovid's Metamorphoses

Tao Te Ching once said that there is no greater crime then desire. This is especially true in Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Jupiters desire to sleep with Io was the downfall of many because he turned Io into a white heifer. The love Inachus had for his daughter, Io was forever lasting. He even had the desire to end his own life to stop the suffering he was experiencing over his daughters absence but he could not due to his immortality. “Oh that a righteous death would end my grief!—it is a dreadful thing to be a God! Behold the lethal gate of death is shut against me, and my growing grief must last throughout eternity.” Eventually, Io was able to communicate to her father even though she was a cow. She eventually reached the river where her father …show more content…
This is especially true in the story of Echo and Narcissus. Echo caught sight of Narcissus and immediately fell in love with him. The more she followed him, the fire in her heart grew like Sulphur on a torch. One day, Narcissus got lost in the woods but fortunately, Echo was there to rescue him. Unfortunately for Echo, Narcissus was displeased with her to say the least. Narcissus told Echo, “Take off your hands! You shall not fold your arms around me. Better death than such a one should ever caress me!” Her love increased with neglect until her body dissolved and only her voice remained. One day a young man asked that Narcissus feels the pain he gives others. “If he should love deny him what he loves!” and as the prayer was uttered it was heard by Nemesis, who granted her assent”. Her love for him turned to hate and that hate resulted in an everlasting suffering for Narcissus. He was so obsessed with himself that he fell to his knees and gazed at his reflection in a pool of water. He neglected to eat or drink until he was nothing more than a corpse. Unfortunately his suffering did not end there, for he went down to Hades so he was forced to stare at his own reflection in a pool of water for all of eternity. The cheat that you are seeking has no place. Avert your gaze and you will lose your love, for this that holds your eyes is nothing save the image of yourself reflected back to you. It comes and waits with you; it has no life; it will depart if you will only