Reading Notes: Ovid’s Metamorphoses - Io, Part A

Ovid's Metamorphoses: Io, translated by Tony Kline (2000)

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Zeus (Jupiter) has the hots for the help (priestess of Hera -Io), and Hera (Juno) once again overreacts and attacks the girl - letting her shady husband more-or-less off the hook.

Jupiter, having no ability to tolerate rejection, kidnaps Io as she flees from him. Juno notices something is different in the air and when she also notices her husband is gone, she knows it is no coincidence. Feeling her presence upon him, Jupiter quickly turns Io into a cow (Moo-O). Enter Juno, who appreciates how pretty this cow is asks where it came from and Jupiter feeds her some nonsense about the cow coming from earth. Juno retorts with, Well if this is just a mere earth cow then you won’t mind if I keep her? Jupiter does what only Jupiter would do - gives his stolen lady-friend-turned-heifer to his wife.

Knowing Jupiter has pulled some metamorphosis schemes before, Juno charges Argus to keep an eye (or hundred) on the cow. Apparently Io had not noticed until now that her hands were hooves, and upon seeing her reflection ran away scared into the night.

Throughout some clever pictionary, Io was able to tell her family that she was in fact the cow they found. Upon the news, her father is more upset that he has to find a bull instead of a boyfriend for his daughter. Argus finds her and rips her away from her family, guarding her even more securely this time.

Mercury (one of Jupiter's many children born not from Juno) has been tasked by Jupiter to kill Argus. Dressed like a shepherd, Mercury converses with Argus until he finds a moment to poke him with his sleepy-stick. The moment Argus is asleep. Mercury cuts off his head. Devastated, Juno takes his eyes and thus the peacock’s feathers are born.

Io is revealed and in Juno’s grief and anger she sends the Furies after her. After Jupiter finally saw that the girl had been tortured enough (having done nothing wrong too) he begs his wife to end the onslaught by promising he will never go after Io again (only Io). Io’s body is restored, though she will probably never be the same again.