By Allegra Forbes, V Form

Please Comment–Should Byblis Be Pitied, Condemned, or Both?

Click Here for Allegra’s Ovid Website!

This past month the Latin III H class read and translated various chapters from Ovid’s narrative poem Metamorphoses, in which the author gives subtle social commentary on Roman politics and morals through his adaptations of metamorphosis myths from the Hellenistic tradition. As a final project for the unit, I created this website to display my work on the myth of Byblis, the tragic tale of a river nymph consumed with lust for her twin brother Caunus. When I finished my first draft of the translation I was still torn as to whether tormented Byblis should be pitied or condemned (or perhaps both?), so I added a survey page to the website so that others can contribute their opinions on the matter.

Please comment! I would love to publish a compilation of different people’s answers.

Allegra Forbes is a V Form logophile from Florence, Italy. She teaches Italian and loves to study Classics, French, and Art History.