Metamorphosis Images

Midas

This picture depicts Apollo (the figure in the center) giving Midas ass's ears (lower right)after he claims that Apollo's performance was not the best. He receives donkey ears as a punishment. King Midas hides the ears, but when he gets his hair cut the barber sees them. The barber digs a hole and whispers it to the ground thinking that nobody will find out, but the reeds begin to whisper it out loud and everyone finds out.

Niobe

This statue is a representation of Niobe trying to save her children. After Niobe stopped the Theban women from paying homage and praying to Leto, the goddess became very angry. To make matters worse, Niobe bragged that her children were much greater than Leto's. As a result all of Niobe's children were killed and she is turned into a weeping stone. It is said that she still weeps today.

Phaethon Sisters

This picture depicts the Phaethon sisters morphing into laurel trees. Phaethon asks his father to provide him with the chariot of the sun and one day to ride it. Despite his father's warnings, Phaethon goes out with the chariot, loses control, and fell from the heavens to his death. His sisters came and mourned at his graves for months and months. When they went to move they realise that their feet have been stuck to the ground and they become laurel trees.

The Rape of Proserpina

This statue is a representation of Pluto stealing Proserpina away while she is out picking flowers. Pluto sees Proserpina, decides he must have her, and steals her to the underworld. Ceres finds out with the help of Cyane, a goddess turned to a stream from sadness, and is enraged. Cyane goes to Jupiter to get him to have her daughter returned, but finds out she has eaten the food of hell. Thus the seasons came to be. While Proserpina is on earth it is spring and summer, and while she is below it is fall and winter.

Narcissus and Echo

This picture depicts Narcissus laying down and looking at his image in the water. He is extremely beautiful, and every woman wants him, including the nymph Echo. He scorns Echo, she is hurt, and she mourns until her body disintegrates and she turns into an echo. Narcissus sees his reflection and falls in love with himself. He lays and stares into the pool until his body disintegrates as well and then turns into a narcissus flower.

Arachne

This picture shows Arachne turning into a spider. Arachne was a wonderful weaver and Minerva heard word that many people believed she was as good as her. Arachne claims that her talent is self taught, does not give Minerva credit for giving her the gift, and challenges Minerva to a weaving contest. Arache wins and Minerva rips it apart and hits Arachne. Arachne decides to hang herself, which causes Minerva to feel some pity. She keeps Arachne from dying, but turns her into a spider and makes her hang from a string for the remainder of her life.

Pygmalion

This picture shows Pygmalion looking at his sculpted woman. Pygmalion is not impressed with any of the women in the area that he lived, in fact he was mostly disgusted. He makes a sculpture of a beautiful women, and wishes with all his heart it was real. During the Venus festival Pygmalion makes his sacrifices and said his prayers, and then asks the gods to grant his ivory woman life. Venus hears his pleas, and grants him his wish. He comes home to his newly human sculpture and falls deeply in love. They get married, have a child, and live happily ever after.