Introduction
Greek and Roman mythologies are the two most well-known folklores in the world. They include numerous stories by different authors that allow modern-day readers to familiarize themselves with the culture, religion, and traditions of people of Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. Although the two mythologies have many similarities, there are also striking differences, especially in the portrayal of the deities. This essay will discuss how the Roman poet Ovid and the Greek author Sophocles depict gods in their texts. For this paper, Ovid’s Metamorphoses and Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex will be addressed.
Similarities
There are many similarities in the portrayal of gods in Ovid’s and Sophocles’ works. Both authors show that the deities are generally respected and revered by the people who give them offerings and pray to them. Metamorphoses often reference mortals praying to and worshiping them and states that prayers appease the deities (Ovid, 2017). Similarly, the inhabitants of the great city Thebes pray to the gods to save them from the disease that plagues them (Sophocles, 2018). In both texts, the divine beings have a meaningful relationship with the mortals. In Oedipus Rex, they interfere with hundreds of people’s lives by sending the disease on the city, but they are also shown as capable of mercy, as they can heal humans (Sophocles, 2018). In Metamorphoses, the Roman gods interfere and interact with people and other creatures on numerous occasions. They turn Lycaon into a wolf as punishment and turn the virgin Nymph into a tree to help her escape marriage (Ovid, 2017). Overall, the gods in both books are always present in the everyday lives of the mortals.
Differences
Despite several parallels in the depiction of the deities in Metamorphoses and Oedipus Rex, there are many noticeable differences. Although gods in the two works invariably interfere with the mortals and chastise them, the reasons behind those punishments vary significantly. In Sophocles’ work, the Olympians are moral and exercise their power in the moral sphere. They punish the people in the city of Thebes because of the unsolved murder of King Laius (Sophocles, 2018). They deem the brutal act immoral and take it upon themselves to punish everyone in the city by sending a plague on crops and cattle (Sophocles, 2018). However, in Metamorphoses, the gods are not concerned with morals and reprimand people if they dare to compare themselves to the divine. When Niobe offends the goddess Leto, the latter punishes the mortal for her disrespect by killing her children (Ovid, 2017). Thus, the divine beings’ views on morality vary drastically in the two works.
Furthermore, the gods in Metamorphoses are described as very emotional and prone to anger and are often used comically by the author. They become outraged when people question or mock them and easily succumb to love and passion, just as mortals do. One of the most famous examples of this is Jupiter transforming himself into a bull and kidnapping princess Europa because he fell in love with her (Ovid, 2017). Meanwhile, the gods in Oedipus Rex are more reserved and do not engage in romantic relationships with humans.
Conclusion
Overall, there are similarities and differences in the gods’ portrayal in Ovid’s and Sophocles’ works. In both texts, the deities are respected and revered by mortal people. The gods also often interfere with the lives of mortals to punish or reward them. However, in Metamorphoses and Oedipus Rex, the gods have different views on morality. In Sophocles’ work, they rule the mortals in the moral sphere and discipline them if they behave unacceptably, while in Ovid’s description, they punish those who offend them and are not concerned with decency. In Metamorphoses, the gods are also depicted as expressive and prone to form relationships with humans, whereas in Oedipus Rex, they show more self-control.
References
Ovid. (2017). Ovid, Metamorphoses. Theoi Greek Mythology – Exploring Mythology in Classical Literature & Art. Web.
Sophocles. (2018). Oedipus Rex. Harcourt Books.