Ovid Metamorphoses Paper

The phrase “I do” is common during many marriage ceremonies today, but what did earlier societies believe about love? In Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, the point is clearly made that love can be controlled. In Much Ado About Nothing, Benedick is tricked into loving Beatrice by Claudio and Don Pedro. This is very similar to Ovid's Metamorphoses, in which love is triggered by Cupid inflicting his love, or lack thereof, on both people and gods.

In both Much Ado About Nothing and Metamorphoses, it is obvious that love can be manipulated. For example, in Metamorphoses, Cupid shoots Apollo with an gold-tipped arrow, forcing him to fall in love with Dapne, a river nymph, whom Cupid had shot with a lead-tipped arrow. This is described by the following passage: "and from his quiver drew two arrows out [ ... ] for one engendered flight, the other love; [ ...] One [Apollo] is in love now, and the other one [Daphne] won't hear of it." Apollo and Daphne” pg 1030 - ln 650, 652, 657-658. This showcase's one of Ovid's main points throughout the Metamorphoses, that love can be manipulated. Here, Cupid evidently has power over Apollo, one of the twelve major gods. Apollo, as the god of archery, mocks Cupid for being a little boy with a teeny bow. Apollo soon regrets his mockery and admits that Cupid is the ultimate power. " ' Although my aim is sure, another's arrow proved even more so' " “Apollo and Daphne” pg 1031 ln 717-718. If even one of the major gods professes that love is the true power, then it must be rooted in Ovid's beliefs. If love can be manipulated, then it makes sense that our love is not under our control.

It is also clearly stated in the Metamorphoses that our love isn't under our control. In the story of ...

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... is death. Hippomenes, at first, doesn't understand why these men are risking their lives for Atalanta. Only when Hippomenes lays eyes on Atalanta that he realizes that she is one of the most beautiful women in the world. This gives him a reason to race. Here, as in the story of "Venus and Adonis", Hippomenes' love is completely unplanned. He never expected to fall in love at all. The fact that love is random, isn't under our control, and can be manipulated, in Ovid's mind actually seems reasonable.

Undoubtably, both Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing and Ovid's Metamorphoses share many common themes about love. Among others, that love is random, that love can be manipulated and isn't under our humanly control. Even though Ancient Roman views on love greatly differ than ours today, it is important to know their beliefs so we can understand our world today.