DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9260#0050
i4 P.OVIDII METAMOR-
P. OVID'S METAMOR-
THE EXPLICATION OF THE SIXTH FABLE.
THis Scene of the aflembled Gods, which Ovid
opens to us, is a moft magnificent Reprefentation,
and they cou'd never meet on a more important Occa-
sion. The Point under deliberation here, is not,as in
the Iliad , to declare for the Greeks, or the Trojans -t
nor, as in the ^neid, to take Care of a fugitive Prince,
who carried his Houftiold Gods into a ltrange. Land.
It is to refolve the Ruin of Mankind , that our Au-
thor calls this Grand Council, and conliders One of
the greatefb Events that ever happen'd on this Earth.
But what is furprifing in this Fable, is Ovid's exactly
copying Tradition , or the VI. of Genefis. God ,
according to Mofes, repented that he had made Man.
Toenituit eum quod hominem fecijfet in terra ,& tafius
dolore cordis 'intrinfecus j delebo , inquit , hominem
quern creavi , &c. Ovid reprefents Jupiter incens'd
againfl: Mankind, whofe Crimes had ftirr'd up his Wrath.
'Dianas Jove concipit iras, eft tamen humani generis
jaclura dolori omnibus &c. Mofes tells us how all Men
'were gone aftray and had generally corrupted them-
felves : Omnis quippe caro corruperat viam fuam.
The Poet brings in Jupiter faying, that formerly he
had none but Gyants to combat with , but now all
Men were his Enemies.
Nunc mihi, qua totum Nereus circumtcnat orbcm,
Terdendum humanum genus.
He adds, that he had try'd all methods to fave Man,
but the Evil was become incurable. Ovid feems alio
to have known that in this general Corruption, there
were ftill fome Men that were jufl:, and tho' he attri-
butes to Deucalion, what belongs only to Noah, it is
upon the Whole the fame Notion: Immedicabile mi-
nus Enfe reddendum, ne pars fincera trahatur. And
what is yet more particular , in the Poet , as in the
Scriptures, the Giants are placed before the Deluge.
Gigantes autem erant fuper t err am in diebus illis (i).
I cou'd carry the Parallel much farther , but with the
leaft Attention it will be very eafy to discover the other
Strokes of the Refemblance.
(i) Gen. Chap. V I. f. 4.
Fab. VII. Lycaon transformed into a Wolf.
THE A R G U M E N T.
Lycaon King of Arcadta->to discover if it was Jupiter himfelf who came
to lodge in his Palace, ordered the Body of an Hoftage, which had been
fent him 5 to be drefs'd and ferv'd up at a Feaft. The God, as a Punish-
ment , changes him into a Wolf.
MaenaU
P. OVID'S METAMOR-
THE EXPLICATION OF THE SIXTH FABLE.
THis Scene of the aflembled Gods, which Ovid
opens to us, is a moft magnificent Reprefentation,
and they cou'd never meet on a more important Occa-
sion. The Point under deliberation here, is not,as in
the Iliad , to declare for the Greeks, or the Trojans -t
nor, as in the ^neid, to take Care of a fugitive Prince,
who carried his Houftiold Gods into a ltrange. Land.
It is to refolve the Ruin of Mankind , that our Au-
thor calls this Grand Council, and conliders One of
the greatefb Events that ever happen'd on this Earth.
But what is furprifing in this Fable, is Ovid's exactly
copying Tradition , or the VI. of Genefis. God ,
according to Mofes, repented that he had made Man.
Toenituit eum quod hominem fecijfet in terra ,& tafius
dolore cordis 'intrinfecus j delebo , inquit , hominem
quern creavi , &c. Ovid reprefents Jupiter incens'd
againfl: Mankind, whofe Crimes had ftirr'd up his Wrath.
'Dianas Jove concipit iras, eft tamen humani generis
jaclura dolori omnibus &c. Mofes tells us how all Men
'were gone aftray and had generally corrupted them-
felves : Omnis quippe caro corruperat viam fuam.
The Poet brings in Jupiter faying, that formerly he
had none but Gyants to combat with , but now all
Men were his Enemies.
Nunc mihi, qua totum Nereus circumtcnat orbcm,
Terdendum humanum genus.
He adds, that he had try'd all methods to fave Man,
but the Evil was become incurable. Ovid feems alio
to have known that in this general Corruption, there
were ftill fome Men that were jufl:, and tho' he attri-
butes to Deucalion, what belongs only to Noah, it is
upon the Whole the fame Notion: Immedicabile mi-
nus Enfe reddendum, ne pars fincera trahatur. And
what is yet more particular , in the Poet , as in the
Scriptures, the Giants are placed before the Deluge.
Gigantes autem erant fuper t err am in diebus illis (i).
I cou'd carry the Parallel much farther , but with the
leaft Attention it will be very eafy to discover the other
Strokes of the Refemblance.
(i) Gen. Chap. V I. f. 4.
Fab. VII. Lycaon transformed into a Wolf.
THE A R G U M E N T.
Lycaon King of Arcadta->to discover if it was Jupiter himfelf who came
to lodge in his Palace, ordered the Body of an Hoftage, which had been
fent him 5 to be drefs'd and ferv'd up at a Feaft. The God, as a Punish-
ment , changes him into a Wolf.
MaenaU