List of characters in Metamorphoses

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This is a list of characters in the poem Metamorphoses by Ovid.

Contents: Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

[edit] A

[edit] B

[edit] C

[edit] D

[edit] E

[edit] G

[edit] H

[edit] I

  • Ianthe (IX.789-937) is a girl betrothed to Iphis, whom she believes to be a boy; at Iphis' request, she is transformed by Isis into a man, so that they can be heterosexually wedded.
  • Icarus (VIII.180-262) is the son of Daedalus; he flew too close to the sun, which melted the wax holding together his wings, which lead to his death.
  • Idmon
  • Ilia, also called Rhea Sylvia, is the mother of Romulus and Remus.
  • Ino
  • Io is the daughter of Inachus, and is Jove's lover. She is turned into a cow.
  • Iphigenia
  • Iphis (IX.789-937) is the name of two characters: a Cretan girl raised as a boy, and a common shepherd boy who falls in love with a princess, Anaxarete; also the name of a Cypriot shepherd who killed himself after rejection a woman named Anaxarete (XIV.802)
  • Iris is the goddess of the rainbow, and assists Juno.
  • Itys
  • Iulus

[edit] J

  • Jason is the son of Aeson and leader of the Argonauts; he sails to Colchis, where he meets Medea.
  • Juno
  • Jupiter

[edit] L

[edit] M

[edit] N

[edit] O

  • Ocyrhoe
  • Olenus
  • Orithyia
  • Orpheus (X.1-85, XI.1-65) is a Thracian musician, renowned as the best player of the lyre. Losing his love Eurydice shortly after their marriage, he journeyed down to the underworld to retrieve her, but failed because by looking back at her while leading her out, he broke the rule imposed on him and lost her again.

[edit] P

  • Paeon
  • Pan
  • Paris
  • Peleus is the father of Achilles and king of Aegina.
  • Pelias is Aeson's evil, usurping half-brother.
  • Pentheus
  • Perdix
  • Perseus is the son of Jupiter and Danae, and slayer of the Gorgon Medusa.
  • Phaedra
  • Phaethon is a son of the Sun, tricks Pheobus into letting him drive his chariot, and is struck down by Jove.
  • Philemon (VIII.611-724)
  • Philomela (VI.424-674) is the sister of Procne; she is raped by Tereus, who also cuts out her tongue. To avenge this, Procne tricks Tereus into eating his own son.
  • Phineus, uncle and formerly betrothed to Andromeda, is turned to stone by the head of Medusa after he and his friends attack Perseus.
  • Phocus is the son of Aecus.
  • Picus
  • Pirithous
  • Pluto
  • Polydectes
  • Polydorus
  • Polymestor
  • Polyphemus
  • Polyxena
  • Pomona
  • Priam
  • Procne (VI.424-674) is a daughter of Pandion, wife of Tereus, sister of Philomela, and mother of Itys—whom she feeds to Tereus after Tereus rapes Philomela.
  • Procris is the wife of Cephalus; she is killed by Cephalus' hunting spear (which never misses) after he mistakes her for a boar.
  • Proserpina, daughter of Ceres, is kidnapped by Pluto and eats of the pomegranate seeds while in the Underworld. She is sentenced by Jove to spend half the year with Ceres, half with Pluto.
  • Pygmalion (XIII.750-68) is a sculptor who is described as a bachelor, but sculpts a beautiful woman out of ivory. He falls in love with this statue and prays to Venus to bring it to life. She does, and they have a son together, Paphos.
  • Pyramus (IV)
  • Pyreneus
  • Pyrrha
  • Pythagoras

[edit] R

[edit] S

  • Saturn
  • Scylla (VIII.1-151) daughter of King Nisus of Megara who from afar fell in love with Minos, king of a besieging army. Unasked, she betrayed her city to him, but he, disgusted, spurned her. She became a seabird. Also (XIV.1-74), the nymph beloved by Glaucus, spurns him. Glaucus seeks Circe's help. But Circe falls for Glaucus, and he spurns her. So Circe revenges herself on Glaucus by transforming Scylla into the monster of legend.
  • Semele (III.308-312), mother of Dionysus.
  • Sibyl
  • Syrinx

[edit] T

  • Telamon
  • Tereus (VI.424-674) is a king of Thrace, husband of Procne, father of Itys; he rapes Philomela and then cuts out her tongue, and is later tricked (in revenge) into eating his son.
  • Themis
  • Theseus is a son of Aegeus and general hero.
  • Thetis is described as a "silver-footed" nymph, and is the mother of Achilles.
  • Thisbe (IV)
  • Tiresias
  • Tisiphone
  • Triton

[edit] U

[edit] V