99: Ovid: Metamorphoses - 9. Death, Dying and Afterlife

The theme today is Death and Dying, and Afterlife

This session, we explore themes of death, reincarnation, the soul, and the afterlife in Metamorphoses. Ovid's epic frequently reflects on the impermanence of life, the transformation of the soul, and the enduring journey beyond death. Through tales of characters who are reborn, transformed, or journey to the underworld, Ovid offers a complex meditation on mortality, legacy, and the possibility of eternal life. This theme allows us to engage with the poem’s philosophical reflections on what remains after death and how memory, transformation, and the soul endure beyond mortal life.

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#### 1. Theme Introduction: Life Beyond Death and the Transformation of the Soul

· Death as Transition and Transformation
In Ovid’s stories, death is often not the end but a passage into another form. The soul may be reborn in another guise or preserved in nature, linking themes of reincarnation and eternal memory. Ovid reflects on the soul's journey, the fate of the body, and the possibilities of existence beyond death, often leaving open-ended questions about human legacy and divine influence.
· The Afterlife and Divine Judgment
Ovid's portrayal of death includes both traditional underworld journeys and symbolic transformations, where characters are judged, punished, or rewarded in ways that carry meaning into eternity. Through these stories, Ovid examines ideas of fate, justice, and the soul’s immortality, blending Roman, Greek, and philosophical perspectives on life after death.

#### 2. Passages for Discussion

· 10.1-92 — Orpheus and Eurydice
Orpheus travels to the underworld to bring back his wife Eurydice, only to lose her again.

· 11.39-69 — Death of Orpheus
When Orpheus dies, nature grieves.

· 5.364-611 — Pluto Kidnaps and Rapes Proserpina (Persephone)
Persephone’s abduction to the underworld by Pluto (Hades) highlights the divide between life and death, as well as the cyclical nature of her existence.

· 14.107-165 — Aeneas’ Descent to the Underworld, (The Sibyl and Apollo)
Aeneas journeys to the underworld.

· 7.168-314 — Medea’s Rejuvenation of Aeson
Medea uses her magic to restore her father Aeson’s youth, effectively reversing the natural progression of life and death.

· 15.793–932 — The Deification of Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar is deified and ascends to the heavens, a transformation cementing his place in eternity.

· 15.933-942 — Ovid’s Final Words on His Own Immortality (Epilogue)
Ovid declares that his poetry will grant him eternal life, transcending the boundaries of death and time.

· 3. Artistic Reflections on Death, Reincarnation, and the Afterlife
· Renaissance Art: Michelangelo’s The Last Judgment (1536–1541)

• This monumental fresco captures themes of divine judgment and the afterlife, reflecting ideas of reward, punishment, and reincarnation, as souls are resurrected and evaluated in a powerful scene of mortality.

· Post-1800 Art: Gustav Klimt’s Death and Life (1910)

• This painting depicts death and the cycle of life, with vibrant figures representing life and a dark figure of death. It echoes the themes of mortality and the soul’s journey beyond life, similar to Ovid’s reflections on transformation and continuity.

#### 4. Musical Work

• Johann Sebastian Bach’s St. Matthew Passion (1727)
• This sacred oratorio reflects themes of death, resurrection, and eternal life, capturing the emotional depth and transcendence associated with the soul’s journey beyond mortality.

#### 5. Culinary Exploration: The Symbolic Last Meal

• Dish: Pomegranate Salad with Walnuts and Fennel
• Pomegranates, symbolizing Persephone and the cycle of life and death, are combined with walnuts, which represent wisdom and eternity. This dish captures the duality of life and death in Ovid’s narratives, reflecting themes of reincarnation and the soul’s continuation.

#### 6. Pantone Color

• Pantone 19-3810 Elderberry
• This deep, somber purple represents the mystery and depth associated with the afterlife, evoking the introspection and transcendence of death and rebirth.

#### 7. Fragrance

• Serge Lutens La Fille de Berlin
• This fragrance, with notes of rose and dark spices, evokes the solemnity and beauty of death and transformation, reflecting the depth and mystery of the soul’s journey.

#### 8. Tree

• Yew Tree
• Symbolic of eternity and often associated with graveyards, the yew represents both life and death. It embodies the cyclical nature of existence, reflecting the themes of reincarnation and the soul’s endurance in Ovid’s narratives.

#### 9. Country

• Egypt
• With its rich mythology of the afterlife, reincarnation, and preservation of the soul, Egypt aligns with the theme of death and the soul’s journey beyond mortality, mirroring ideas explored in Ovid’s transformations.

#### 10. The USA Fit

• American Cultural Reflections on Legacy and the Afterlife
• From the American Dream’s notion of “leaving a legacy” to cultural interest in life after death and the technology of cryonics, American literature, art, and philosophy engage deeply with themes of mortality, reincarnation, and the soul’s journey. Ovid’s reflections on these themes resonate with the American fascination for immortality, whether through personal legacy or belief in an afterlife.

#### 11. Gods Associated with Death, the Soul, and the Afterlife

• Pluto/Hades (god of the underworld and ruler of the dead)

o Homeric Passages:

• Odyssey 11.1-50 (Odysseus’ journey to the underworld).
• Iliad 23.62-107 (Patroclus’ soul in the afterlife).
• Homeric Hymn to Demeter (Persephone’s journey to the underworld).

#### 12. Sources and Influences

• Greek and Roman Beliefs on the Afterlife:

Ovid draws on the Greek underworld myths and Roman beliefs in the immortality of the soul, incorporating these views into his depictions of transformation, apotheosis, and reincarnation. The cyclical aspect of life and death resonates with both philosophical and mythological perspectives from the ancient world.

#### 13. Nut

• Pine Nut
• Symbolic of eternity and endurance, pine nuts represent the resilience and continuation

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We're using a new translation of this wide ranging masterpiece that covers the history of the world, from its creation to the deification of Julius Caesar in 42 BC in a mythico-historical framework comprising over 250 myths, 15 books, and 11,995 lines. The translation is by Stephanie McCarter, a Classics professor at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee: Metamorphoses (A Penguin Classics) – Published November 8, 2022.

This will take us well into 2025. BCE read the Metamorphoses before in 2020/2021.

A Latin text is online at https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3atext%3a1999.02.0029 (Hugo Magnus. Gotha (Germany). Friedr. Andr. Perthes. 1892).