Rich in wordplay, this story is almost unique to Ovid. It was oddly prescient of his own later banishment too.
myth
The final story in Book 5 tells of the spread of grain cultivation through Europe, and attempted murder.
The story of how the nymph Arethusa escapes pursuit by a river god, thanks to the divine intervention of Diana.
A shocking story of the abduction of a young girl by the king of the underworld, but told with sensitivity. And accompanied by some outstanding paintings.
Was Cyrus an evil conqueror with a lust for blood? How a legendary queen became a role model for European monarchs, with the visual support of Rubens.
Even when you’re the King of Kings, being depicted in art is not easy. There’s one masterpiece by Rembrandt which is perhaps appropriate to the ruler of the greatest empire of its time.
After short mentions of Pegasus making a new spring with his hoof-print, and the strange Pyreneus, the Muses tell of their contest with the daughters of Pierus, who were turned into magpies.
Definitely a wedding to remember: how Perseus and Andromeda didn’t have a photographer but a sculptor to preserve their memories.
Not just superb paintings, but one of the great visual tropes of Western art, and one of the best wedding speeches ever.
Six men fight to the death to settle a whole war. But that is only part of a story which seems too good to be true. And a great masterpiece by David.
The Eclectic Light Company 