Erysichthon I really enjoyed. The main message is to not be greedy and selfish. Erysichthon wants to cut down a tree that is protected by the goddess Ceres. When he cuts down the tree Ceres gets mad and orders Oread to get Hunger to live in Erysichthon stomach. This is a curse that will make him forever hungry. Erysichthon gets so hungry that he sells his own mother to buy himself food. Well in the end his mother becomes a child again playing on the shore to live happily ever after. Erysichthon on the other hand has a different fate, “There can only be one end to such a man”[page 40 line 5], he ends up eating himself. I think this has such a good message because sometimes we don’t realize the harm we do cutting down trees or polluting and this shows how not thinking twice and not listening can lead to serious karma. I like how there are consequences for the actions and that the greedy man won’t ever be satisfied.
In Orpheus and Eurydice they are about to get married when a tragedy happens. Eurydice gets bit by a snake and dies. Orpheus goes down to the underworld to ask for her back. Hades says yes on one condition, he has to take Eurydice back to the light but he can’t look back at Eurydice following behind him until they reach the end of the tunnel or Hades will take her back forever. This part sort of reminded me of the TV series Pushing Daisies. The women in the show cannot touch her husband or she will die. This is sort of the same kind of curse. Being so near to your loved one but not being able to interact with them to the fullest. That must be almost impossible to break. So of course Orpheus looks behind and sees Eurydice, he sees Hades grab her and take her away forever. He can’t get this sight of loosing her out of his mind. This should be turned into a modern love story with a sad ending.
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