Conclusion

In this course you have gained an understanding not just of what Ovid’s Metamorphoses is about, but of why it continues to inspire artists, writers and other creatives into the modern world. You have learned that myths are not just stories told to pass the time, and that the fantastical, magical or divine elements in these stories did not stop them from shaping how ancient people thought about the world around them. These connections might not be direct – it is not easy to argue that Ovid’s readers would have believed in all of the stories he tells. But much as it still does today, storytelling helped to explain some of the things that remain difficult to explain in the world. Questions like ‘how did the world begin?’ or ‘what makes a human human?’ or ‘should we eat animals?’ might not be answered scientifically or conclusively by myths – but it is through stories that they can still be asked, explored and interrogated.

As well as learning why myths like Ovid’s remain influential in the modern world, you have also gained a greater understanding of how this influence happens – classical reception. You have explored how to use the tools of classical reception (as well as other critical reading and analysis skills) to examine texts and images from the past and present. This course has equipped you to ask big questions of your own, like: how do stories change their meaning across time, as they are adapted to suit the interests of different audiences? What is it that makes a work of literature feel ‘relevant’ across so many centuries and for so many different groups of people with different contexts and experiences of the world? You now have the skills that you need to explore other ancient texts and their receptions across literature, art and other media, or to investigate more of tales in the Metamorphoses in translation if you would like to. For some suggestions on how to expand your skills and knowledge further, please take a look at the ‘Taking it further’ section of this course. You might also find it useful to explore some similar related free courses [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] .

Figure 26 This porcelain bowl was made in China during the eighteenth century. It features a scene from the fall of Phaethon, a story told in book 2 of Ovid’s Metamorphoses.

Show description|Hide description

This image zooms in on a detail from a porcelain bowl. Most of the background is white, with gold edges, and in the centre there is a male figure falling from a golden chariot. The figure wears a green tunic with a pink cloak which is billowing in the wind as he falls. On the right hand side of the image we see four white horses wearing golden bridles and with flowing manes, who are tossing their heads and rearing up with their front legs and throwing off their reins. Beneath them are fluffy clouds.

Figure 26 This porcelain bowl was made in China during the eighteenth century. It features a scene from the fall of Phaethon, a story ...

There is one final metamorphosis that Ovid leaves us with at the end of his poem. The very last metamorphosis in the Metamorphoses is of Ovid himself. In the final lines, Ovid imagines a future where he is transformed from a poet of his own time into a name that will live on forever, as long as people are still reading his poetry. Read it, in Stephanie McCarter’s translation, and decide for yourself whether you think Ovid was right!