baucis and philemon analysis

what large poem is baucis and philemon taken from?

METAMORPHOSES

the 8th book

described as a theodicy (god's justice)

what teachings do baucis and philemon follow?

XENIA

pietas

what techniques does ovid often use?

chiasmus

"mille domos" - anaphora lines 3-4

"a thousand homes"

repetition emphasises just how many homes they visited- draws attention to disappointment in society

"atlantiades... caducifer"- line 2

"wand bearing descendant of atlas"

talking about mercury

DOCTRINA

ovid is showing off his knowledge that mercury is atlas' grandson

wand bearing- mercury's symbol was a wand covered with snakes

"canna tecta palustri" line 5

enclosing word order

the word "covered" (tecta) has been covered by all the other words

"pia baucis" - line 6

"dutiful old baucis"

pia is a form of pietas- immediately sets the tone that they will be dutiful and humble citizens

"annis iuncti iuvenalibus" - line 7

"united in their young years"

repetition of the "in" sound emphasizes their togetherness

shows their contemptment and happiness as they have been together for a long time

homoioteleuton definition

the repetition of endings in words

"fatendo...ferendo..."

homoioteleuton

"idem parentque iubentque" - line 11

"the same two people obey and order"

homoioteleuton

"idem" - they see each other as equals

they are obedient and good people

"caelicolae parvos" - line 12

juxtaposition

"heaven dwellers (had arrived at) the small house"

emphasizes the hugeness of the gods in comparison to the small house- makes them seem very powerful and large

parvos- repeated from line 5- exaggerates their poverty and how they have very little

"penates" - line 12

"house" OR "household gods"

METONYM (microcosm)

represents how their humble home is a metaphor for a humble shrine to the gods- emphezises their duty and respect for the gods

are unable to own large shrines- only household symbols

"posito iussit relevare sedili" - line 14

"ordered them to relax their limbs on the couch which had been set out"

enclosing word order

couch is made nice and comfy to surround the gods despite being poor- good xenia

"anima producit anili"

"with the breath of an old woman"

assonance- makes her seem gentle

replicates the blowing sounds

shows her feeble, old poor breath

"minuit parvoque"- line 20

synonymous words- "smaller...small"

exaggerates povery, smallness and humbleness

"sordida terga suis nigro" -line 23

"sooty back of the pig hanging from a black beam"

motif of sootiness and dirtiness- shows their poverty as their house is dark and dirty

"sevatoque dui" - line 24

"well-preserved"

despite not having much they look after what they have very well

"mollibus ulvis" - line 30

"soft sedge"

they have no money- matress is made from grass

take comfort in nature

"non indignanda" - line 34

"not to be deemed unworthy"

both bedspread "vestibus" (emphatic line placement) and mattress are bad as each other

words to emphasize their poverty

"vilis" - cheap

"vetus" - ancient

"ulvis" - sedge

"tempore festo" - during holiday time

"cratera repleri" - line 36

"mixing bowl drained so many times"

greek accusative of "cratera" (mixing bowl) - showing off education)

"sponte sua per seque vident succrescere vina" - line 37

"refilled of its own accord and the wine increasing by itself"

sibilance- reflects pouring / fizzing of the wine

plural of vina- emphesises amount of wine

"unicus anser" - line 41

"single goose" - cannot afford any more

"minimae custodia villae" - line 41

"guardian of the very small house"

superlative- extreme smallness

"domini" - line 42

"masters"

ironic- couple cannot be masters as they have nothing to control

"ipsos"- line 44

"themselves"

emphatic line placement

draws attention to the greatness of the gods

"baculisque"... "nituntur"

"lifted up by the staff

"strive"

emphasizes how old they are but are trying their hardest to be good people

"longo vestigia ponere clivo"

"(they strive) to place their footsteps on the long slope"

enclosing word order

makes it longer to mimick the never ending hardness of the long climb

"mersa palude ceter"- line 53

"the rest of the houses submerged by a marsh"

enjambment- speeds up rhythmn- mirroring the flood and the panic of baucis and philemon

"manere" - line 54

emphatic line placement- "remains"

only their house remains- isolated, stands out

"illa vetus dominis etiam casa parva duobus"

"that old houses, small even for the two owners"

"aurataque tecta"

golden roof

pious meaning

deeply religious, virtuous and archaic

"tantum...potest"

"they were as far from the top as an arrow once fired can go"

"saturnius"

patronimic (son of saturn) - jupiter

showing off

"iuste senex et femina coniuge iusto digna"

"honest old man, and woman deserving of an honest spouse"

chiasmus- shows equality

"iudicium commune"

"common decision" - equality

"simul, simul" - line 75

"at the same time" - repetition

shows in sinc / togetherness

"coniunx"

"spouse"

gender neutral - emphesizes equality and similar thinking

"frondere philemona baucis

baucida conspexit senior frondere philemon"

-"baucis noticed that philemon was growing leaves, and the aged philemon noticed that baucis was growing leaves"

CHIASMUS

accusative (-a ending) to show off greek gknowledge

shows ultimate equality