Pindaric Aspects of Ovid's Metamorphoses

Abstract

This dissertation analyzes Ovid’s Metamorphoses through the lens of praise and blame poetry and focuses on Pindar and possible allusions to epinician poetry. In particular, I look at the Apollo and Daphne episode (Met. 1.452–567), Lycaon’s transformation (Met. 1.163–252), the armorum iudicium (Met. 12.620–13.398), and Ovid’s praise (or not) of Julius and Augustus Caesar during the end of Metamorphoses 15 (Met. 15.745–879). In Chapter 1, I discuss how reading the Apollo and Daphne episode in the context of Pythian 9 and the founding of Cyrene illuminates darker aspects of Roman Ktisissagen by altering the epinician paradigm. Chapter 2 concerns the Lycaon episode and the way in which Jupiter takes on the role of an iambic poet. Chapter 3 consists of an analysis of Ulysses’ speech and structural correspondences with praise poetry in Ovid’s account of the armorum iudicium. In my conclusion, I consider Ovid’s use of epinician topoi during the end of the Metamorphoses. When read through a Pindaric lens, these episodes illuminate Ovid’s use of praise and blame poetry and his relationship with Augustus at this point in his career.