WITH A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE “METAMORPHOSES”
First of all, this essay will have manifested
us about; who was Ovid, which religion was there in his period and did he
affected by this religion so can we see this effects in ‘Metamorphoses’, was
there any scientific elements, why did he use number of seven 27 times in his
work, so on…I will try to appear from ‘Metamorphoses’ these questions.
Publius Ovidius Naso was known as
Ovid and was a Roman poet in Augustus Period. Although he is a Roman, he quotes
from Greek mythology, society, culture, etc. We can clearly see these
situations in ‘Metamorphoses’. In spite of this, most important question is
this; was there any religious elements in his work? If you want, we can analyze
from this work. By the way, we can see there some quotes from three religion
books such as ‘Old Testament’, ‘New Testament’ and ‘Holy Qur’an’. For example,
“Before
there was earth or sea or the sky that covers everything, Nature appeared the
same throughout the whole world: what we call chaos:”[1]
Most important point in this phrase is ‘the same throughout the whole world’
because of the fact that not only we can see in Greek mythology but also in
Holy Qur’an and modern science. Exemplarily, we can say from ‘Holy Qur’an
(Al-Anbya ‘The Prophets’,verse;30). What is more, if you look at the modern
science, you will recognize ‘Theory of Bing Bang’. It claims that everything
comes from only ‘one’ point like as small golf ball. In addition to that Ovid
says in ‘Metamorphoses’; “This conflict was ended by a god and a
greater order of nature, since he split off the earth from the sky, and…”[2]
Ovid says that God separated the earth from heaven so this phrase is most
important for us due to the fact that it cites from ‘Old Testament’, ‘Holy
Qur’an’ and modern science.
If we analyze these sources, we
will see that all of them talk about these positions. For instance, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”[3] We can
understand that firstly there was created sky and earth. Moreover, ‘Holy
Qur’an’ gives us some more detail about this subject.
"Have those who disbelieved not considered that the
heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and We ‘separated’ them and made
from every living thing? Then will they not believe?”[4] Word of ‘separated’ is important word owing to say same thing. Once
more, in modern science means that ‘Theory of Bing Bang’ says same thing also.
Actually, when we read introduction of ‘Metamorphoses’, we feel as if
reading ‘Genesis of Old Testament’ or Versus from the ‘Holy Qur’an’. Ovid’s
‘Metamorphoses’ most of things remind us these sources. If we continue on this
subject, we can add more something. For example, “And so that no region might lack its
own animate beings, the stars and the forms of gods occupied the floor of
heaven, the sea gave a home to the shining fish, earth took the wild animals,
and the light air flying things. As yet there was no animal capable of
higher thought that could be ruler of all the rest. Then Humankind was
born.”[5] That is to say ‘Old
Testament’ means “And God said, “Let the
water teem with living creatures, and
let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.”[6]
“And God said, ‘Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move
along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.’ And
it was so.”[7] “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”[8] In addition to that in
‘Metamorphoses’ “Her sons’ dreadful bodies, buried by that
mass, drenched Earth with streams of blood, and they say she warmed it to new
life, so that a trace of her children might remain, transforming it into the
shape of human beings.”[9]
In ‘Holy Qur’an’, God says that “And certainly did We create man from an
extract of clay”[10]
“Who perfected everything which He created and began the creation of man from
clay.”[11]
And also in the ‘Old
Testament’; “ The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the
ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you
righteous in this generation.”[12] And so
on…(all of ‘Seventh of Genesis’ means this subject.) Besides, modern science
says that human beings consist of all of earth’s minerals. That is, we can say
that these are actually similar each other.
All of stories say same
thing. Furthermore, I think Ovid means ‘The Deluge’ in ‘Metamorphoses’. If we
read lines of 258 between 295, we can see this historical event. Both ‘Holy
Qur’an’ and ‘Old Testament’ talk about ‘The Flood’. It is about the adventures
of ‘Noah’ and his family. If you want, you can check from the ‘Holy Qur’an’.[13] And
also in ‘Old Testament’ has Seventh of Genesis.[14]
Likewise, Ovid says in the ‘Metamorphoses’ that “ Phoebus
replies ‘A heifer will find you in the fields, that has never submitted
to the yoke and is unaccustomed to the curved plough. Go where she leads, and
where she finds rest on the grass build the walls of Thebes, your city, and
call the land Boeotia. Cadmus had scarcely left the Castalian cave when he saw
an unguarded heifer, moving slowly, and showing no mark of the yoke on her
neck. He follows close behind and chooses his steps by the traces of her
course, and silently thanks Phoebus, his guide to the way.”[15] So this
subject is similar to Verses from ‘Holy
Qur’an’.
“And recall when Moses said to his people, “God commands you to
sacrifice a heifer.” They said, “Do you make a mockery of us?” He said,
“God forbid that I should be so ignorant. They said, “Call upon your
Lord to show us which one.” He said, “He says she is a heifer, neither too old,
nor too young, but in between. So do what you are commanded.” They said, “Call
upon your Lord to show us what her color is.” He said, “He says she is a yellow
heifer, bright in color, pleasing to the beholders.” They said, “Call upon your
Lord to show us which one; the heifers look alike to us; and God willing, we
will be guided.” He said, “He says she is a heifer, neither yoked to plow the
earth, nor to irrigate the field; sound without blemish.” They said, “Now you
have brought the truth.” So they slew her; though they almost did not.”[16]
What is more, there is most repeated
animal, number and plant. For instance, the most repeated animal is snake. “...shook
her locks, flinging back the snakes that concealed her face,
...”[17]
“coiled a writhing serpent round her waist, …”[18]
“Then she pulls two serpents from the midst of her hair, and hurls what
she has snatched with a deadly aim.”[19]
As a matter of fact, in my opinion,
the most important thing is number of seven on account of the fact that this
number calls to mind us ‘Holy Qur’an’, ‘Holy Bible’ and Greek mythology. All of
them give place to this number. For example in ‘Holy Qur’an’ “ We have given you seven of the pairs, and the Grand Quran.”[20]
“It is He who created for you everything on earth, then turned to the heaven,
and made them seven heavens. And He is aware of all things.”[21]
In addition in
‘Holy Bible’ is extensively used number of seven. ‘Olive Bough’ is mostly used
by Ovid in ‘Metamorphoses’ as a symbol of peace. “Minerva
surrounded the outer edges with the olive wreaths of peace (this was the
last part) and so ended her work with emblems of her own tree.”[22]
In ‘Old
Testament’, we witness this olive bough also. “Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches
beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?” He replied, “Do you not know what these are?” “No, my lord,” I said. So
he said, “These are the two who are anointed to serve the Lord of all
the earth.”[23]
Meanwhile, although Ovid
talk about Lucifer in Metamorphoses, actually there was not ‘New Testament’.
Most probably, he quoted from the ‘Old Testament’ in view of the fact that the
‘Old Testament’ was written in BC 5th century. For this perspective,
he might be taken from ‘Old Testament’. “He looked to rest there a
while, till Lucifer summoned up Aurora fires, and Aurora the chariot of
dawn.”[24]
All
in all, I want to
see mythology actually doesn’t directly take from the history. As, I think
there was most of metaphorical elements in that periods. For example, “Meanwhile,
Telemus the augur, Telemus, the son of Eurymus, whom no flight of birds could
deceive, came to Sicilian Mount Aetna, addressed grim Polyphemus, and said:
Ulysses will take from you, that single eye in the middle of your
forehead.” He laughed, and answered: “O most foolish of seers, you are
wrong, another, a girl, has already taken it.”[25]
Polyphemus says that you are wrong, I have actually an another
eye. This is most important expression about her eyes. I think most of things
so, metaphorical. So, we shouldn’t directly take from Greek mythology.
[1] Book 1: 5-10 lines
[2] Book 1: 21-23 lines
[3]Genesis 1: 1th Verse
[4] Al-Anbya (The Prophets), Verse 30
[5] Book 1: 75-80 lines
[6] Genesis 1: 21th Verse
[7] Genesis 1: 24th Verse
[8] Genesis 1: 27th Verse
[9] Book 1: 155-160 lines
[10] Al-Mu’minun(The Believers), Verse 12
[11] As-Sajdah(The Prostration), Verse 7
[12] Genesis 7: 1th Verse
[13] (7:74, 10:73, 11:38, 11:37, 11:42, 11:43, 11:44, 11:48, 23:27)
Verses
[14] Lines of 1-24
[15] Book 3: 9-15 lines
[16] Al-Baqarah(The Heifer), Between 67-71 Verses
[17] Book 4: 475-476 lines
[18] Book 4: 482-483 lines
[19] Book 4: 490-495 lines
[20] Al-Hijr(The Rock), 87th Verse
[21] Al-Baqarah(The Heifer), 29th Verse and also extras:
(34:7, 2:261)
[22] Book 6: 101-102 lines
[23] Zechariah 4: 12-14 Verses
[24] Book 4: 626-630 lines
[25] Book 13: 770-775 lines
Yorumlar
Yorum Gönder