Meta Description: Join Dr. David Noe and Dr. Jeff Winkle as they explore Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Discover the story of Deucalion and Pyrrha, the Latin language of the flood, and why humans are considered a “hard race.”
Introduction: A Schlep to Vomitorium East
Welcome back to the “vomitorium,” listeners! In Episode 82 of the Ad Navseam Podcast, hosts Dr. Jeff Winkle and Dr. David Noe have made the trek to “Vomitorium East.” Despite the hassle of “schlepping” bags and equipment—a task they joke requires an unpaid intern—the hosts are eager to dive back into the world of the Latin language and Roman mythology.
This week, the focus returns to one of the most delightful and complex works in the classical canon: Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Specifically, the hosts explore the myth of Deucalion and Pyrrha, the survivors of the great flood who repopulated the earth in a rather unusual way.
If you are a student of the Latin language, a fan of mythology, or just someone who enjoys a good story about throwing rocks over your shoulder, this episode is for you.
Ovid’s Ambition: Breaking the “Big Book” Rule
Before the floodwaters rise, the hosts set the stage with a quote from scholar Elaine Fantham regarding Ovid’s ambition. In the opening of the Metamorphoses, Ovid boasts that he will spin a continuous song from the beginning of the world down to his own time.
This was a bold move. The Roman poet Horace had famously warned budding poets against beginning their epics “from the egg” (i.e., too far back in time). He advocated for the Callimachean aesthetic: “Big book, big evil” (mega biblion, mega kakon).
So, is Ovid going over the top?
- The Consensus: Absolutely. Ovid has no sense of restraint, and that is precisely his charm.
- The Anxiety of Influence: Dr. Noe suggests that Ovid had to go big to distinguish himself from Vergil. Since he couldn’t beat the Aeneid on its own terms, he created something entirely different—a kaleidoscopic, encyclopedic collection of myths that defies the traditional boundaries of epic.
The Greek Noah: Deucalion and Pyrrha
The central story of the episode is the flood myth found in Book 1 of the Metamorphoses.
The Setup:
Jupiter (Zeus), angered by the wickedness of humanity—exemplified by the cannibalistic King Lycaon—decides to wipe out the human race. Unlike the specific surgical strikes of other myths, Jupiter opts for the “nuclear option”: a global flood.
The Survivors:
Only two people survive: Deucalion and Pyrrha.
- Genealogy: Deucalion is the son of Prometheus (Forethought), and Pyrrha is the daughter of Epimetheus (Afterthought). This makes them first cousins.
- The Ark: They survive in a small skiff, which comes to rest on Mount Parnassus, the center of the world and home to the Muses.
Comparison to Genesis:
The hosts discuss the parallels with the biblical story of Noah.
- Similarities: Universal wickedness, divine regret, a flood, a mountain landing.
- Differences: In Ovid, Deucalion and Pyrrha are not explicitly saved because of their faith initially. However, Ovid later describes them as “innocent” and “worshipers of deity,” noting that “no man was more a lover of the just” than Deucalion.
The Latin Language of Desolation
When the waters recede, Deucalion and Pyrrha look out upon a silent, empty world. Ovid captures their despair in some beautiful Latin language verses (Book 1, lines 348-355):
Redditus orbis erat…
“The world was restored… but he saw it was empty and desolate silence held the lands.”
Deucalion speaks to Pyrrha with deep emotion:
Nos duo turba sumus; possedit cetera pontus.
“We two are the crowd (the whole population); the sea possesses the rest.”
Dr. Noe highlights the power of this line. Nos duo turba sumus (“We two are the crowd”). It captures the total isolation of the pair. There is no one else. They are the Adam and Eve of a drowned world.
The Oracle’s Riddle: Throwing Bones
Desperate to restore humanity, the couple consults the oracle of Themis. The goddess gives them a terrifying command:
“Go, cover your heads, loosen your robes, and throw behind your backs your great mother’s bones.”
The Crisis of Piety:
Pyrrha is horrified. To disturb the bones of an ancestor is a grave sacrilege in Roman culture. She refuses to obey.
The Solution:
Deucalion, being the son of the clever Prometheus, figures out the riddle.
- The Mother: The “Great Mother” is the Earth (Terra Mater).
- The Bones: The “bones” of the earth are stones.
Dr. Noe notes that oracles in Greek mythology often require metis (cunning) to interpret. It is a test of intelligence as much as obedience. The couple follows the instructions—heads covered, robes loosened—and begins tossing rocks over their shoulders.
The Hard Race (Durum Genus)
The miracle happens. The stones begin to soften. The earthy parts become flesh, the hard parts become bone, and the veins of the rock become human veins.
Ovid concludes this story with an anthropological observation that explains the nature of humanity (Book 1, lines 414-415):
Inde genus durum sumus experiensque laborum,
Et documenta damus qua simus origine nati.
Translation (Lombardo):
“And so we are a tough breed, used to hard labor, and we are living proof of our origin.”
The Takeaway:
Why is life so hard? Why do humans have to toil and sweat? Because we are made of stone. Unlike the biblical Adam made of dust or clay, Ovid’s humans are born from the rocky bones of the earth. This “lithic” origin explains our endurance and our hardness.
Conclusion: The Gustatory Parting Shot
The episode was cut short before the hosts could discuss the story of Perdix (the partridge) due to the arrival of the “New Zealand Rugby Team” doing the Haka in the vomitorium.
However, they did not leave without a Gustatory Parting Shot. This week’s wisdom comes from Desiree Williams in her book Illusionary:
“That’s what you would do with untold power? Eat cake?”
Whether you are repopulating the earth with stones or just trying to get through the week, remember: we are a hard race, but there is always cake.
Valete!
Resources for the Latin Learner
- Hackett Publishing: For the translations used in this episode (Stanley Lombardo and Z. Philip Ambrose), visit Hackett Publishing. Use code AN2022 for 20% off and free shipping.
- The Moss Method: Want to read Ovid in the original Latin or Greek? Dr. Noe’s course takes you from “neophyte to erudite.” Watch for special sales at the Moss Method website.
Ratio Coffee: Brew coffee worthy of a Roman poet. Use code ANCO5J for 15% off at Ratio Coffee.
