Structure of Ovid's Metamorphosis

The Structure of Ovid's Metamorphoses
Book 1
Proemium 1-4
The First Creation * * *
• Cosmogony 5-88
• Myth of Ages 89-150
• Gigantomachy 151-162
The Second Creation * * *
• Council of the Gods 163-261
o Story of Lycaon (told by Jupiter) 211-243
• Flood 262-312
• Deucalion and Pyrrha 313-415
The Third Creation * * *
• Pytho 416-451
The Loves of the Gods * * *
• Apollo and Daphne 452-567
• Io 568-750
• Phaethon (beginning) 751-779
Book 2
• Phaethon (continuation) 1-400
• Callisto 401-530
• Apollo and Coronis (The Raven and the Crow) 531-675
• Mercury
o and Battus 676-707
o and Aglauros 708-832
• Europa 833-875
Book 3
Theban Cycle * * *
• Arrival of Cadmus 1-137
• Actaeon 138-252
• Semele (birth of Bacchus) 253-315
• Tiresias 316-338
• Narcissus and Echo 339-510
• Pentheus and Bacchus 511-733
Book 4
• Daughters of Minyas
1. First daughter (unnamed):
 Pyramus and Thisbe 55-166
2. Second daughter (Leucippe)
 Mars and Venus 167-189
 Sol and Leucothoe 190-256
 Sol and Clytie 256-270
3. Third daughter (Alcithoe)
 Salmacis and Hermaphroditus 271-388
o Metamorphosis of the Daughters of Minyas 389-415
• Athamas and Ino 416-562
• Metamorphosis of Cadmus 563-603
Perseus Cycle
• Perseus' birth 604-611
• Perseus and Medusa 612-620
• Perseus and Atlas 621-662
• Perseus and Andromeda 663-771
o Perseus and Medusa 772-803
Book 5
• Perseus and Cepheus 1-249
Contests
• Minerva
o Hippocrene 250-294
o Pierides v. Muses 295-678
1. Pierides: Typhoeus 317-340
2. One of the Muses: Ceres and Persephone 341-678
 abduction of Proserpina 341-408
 Cyane 409-437
 Stellio 438-461
 Arethusa (a) 462-508
 Ceres and Jupiter 509-532
 Ascalaphus 533-551
 Sirens 551-563
 Division of the year 564-571
 Arethusa (b) 572-641
 Triptolemus 642-661
 Judgment of the nymphs of Helicon 662-678

Book 6
o Minerva v. Arachne
• Latona
o v. Niobe
o Lycian Peasants
o Apollo v. Marsyas
o Pelops
Athenian Cycle
• Tereus, Procne, and Philomela
• Erechtheus, Boreas, and Orithyia
Book 7
• Jason and Medea
• Theseus (7.404-9.97)
o in Crete
 Minos
 on Aegina
 Plague of Aegina
 Myrmidons
 Cephalus and Procris
Book 8
 at Megara
 Scylla
 Daedalus
 the Labyrinth
 Ariadne
 Daedalus and Icarus
 Perdix
 in Aetolia
 Meleager
 Achelous
 Perimele
 Philemon and Baucis
 Proteus
 Erysichthon





Book 9
 Hercules Cycle
 Dryope
 Iolaus and the Sons of Callirhoe
 Byblis
 Iphis and Ianthe
Book 10
Orpheus Cycle
o Orpheus and Eurydice
o Descent to the Underworld
o Cyparissus
o Songs:
 Ganymede
 Hyacinthus
 Cerastae
 Propoetides
 Pygmalion
 Myrrha
 Venus and Adonis
 Atalanta and Hippomenes
Book 11
o Death of Orpheus
o Midas
Trojan Cycle
o Foundation of Troy
o Peleus and Thetis
o Daedalion
o Cattle of Peleus
o Ceyx and Alcyone
o Aesacus
Book 12
o Trojan War
o Achilles and Cycnus
o Caenis
o Lapiths and Centaurs
o Nestor and Hercules
o Death of Achilles
Book 13
o Ajax and Ulysses
o Sack of Troy
o Hecuba, Polyxena, and Polydorus
o Memnon
Little "Aeneid"
o Aeneas
o Acis, Galatea, and Polyphemus
o Scylla and Glaucus
Book 14
o Scylla and Glaucus
o Circe
o Picus and Canens
o Apotheosis of Aeneas
Rome
o Pomona and Vertumnus
o Romulus
Book 15
o Numa
o Pythagoras
o Hippolytus
o Cipus
o Aesculapius
o Julius Caesar
Epilogue