LE3 .A278 2015

2015

Provencal, Vernon

Acadia University

Bachelor of Arts

Honours

Classics

History & Classics

The first 88 lines of Ovid's Metamorphoses contain an account of creation. It is a unique account of creation because it is influenced by many different myths, traditions, and philosophies. This thesis examines several other creation myths and traditions in order to determine how each of them influenced Ovid's interpretation of the cosmogony. This thesis also presents a translation and commentary in which certain words and concepts are explained in relation to Ovid's influences. This commentary also highlights certain themes which appear in Ovid's account of creation, most importantly the theme of craftsmanship. A final examination of these themes reveals that Ovid has pieced together his poem from the centuries of mythology and tradition that came before him. By drawing attention to his own skill as a poet, he is comparing himself to the creator god and comparing his poem to the creation of the universe.

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:1258