120
See also: The Olympian gods 24–31 ■ The fate of Oedipus 86–87 ■ Cupid and
Psyche 112–13 ■ Pomona and Vertumnus 122–23P
ygmalion is mentioned in
Greek sources as a king
of Cyprus who fell in love
with a cult statue of Aphrodite,
but the familiar myth of Pygmalion
the sculptor is only known to us
from the Roman poet, Ovid.Pygmalion’s creation
Pygmalion was so disenchanted by
the wicked behavior of the women of
his day—who defied the authority
of Venus, the goddess of love—that
he vowed never to marry.
The sculptor devoted his hours
to carving a life-sized, snow-white,
ivory statue of a woman more
beautiful than any who had ever
lived. This statue was so lifelike
that even Pygmalion often had to
touch it to check that it was still
ivory, not living flesh. He soon fell in
love with his creation—he kissed it,
embraced it, spoke to it lovingly,and even brought it gifts. At the
festival of Venus, after he had made
his offering, Pygmalion prayed that
the gods would grant him a woman
as beautiful as his statue.
On returning home, Pygmalion
embraced his statue. To his
amazement, the flesh was warm—
the statue had come to life. She
opened her eyes and saw both
daylight and her true love for the
first time. The goddess Venus
herself attended the wedding. ■HE CARVED A
STATUE OUT OF
SNOW-WHITE IVORY
PYGMALION
IN BRIEF
THEME
Ideal loveSOURCE
Metamorphoses, Ovid, 8 ce.SETTING
Cyprus, the birthplace
of Venus.KEY FIGURES
Pygmalion A young sculptor
who vowed not to marry
any of the young women
of his time.Venus The Roman goddess
of love and beauty; known as
Aphrodite in Greek mythology.Galatea An ivory statue
expertly carved by Pygmalion,
turned into a living woman
by Venus.Pygmalion’s ivory statue is brought
to life by Venus—represented by a
cupid in this 1763 marble sculpture by
Étienne Falconet—and gazes tenderly
at her creator.US_120-121_Pygmalion_and_CarnaJanus.indd 120 01/12/17 4:22 pm
121
See also: Hades and the Underworld 48–49 ■ Apollo and the Oracle of
Delphi 58–59 ■ The founding of Rome 102–05I
n Roman tradition, a nymph
named Carna was born in the
ancient and sacred grove of
Alernus (a god of the underworld)
on the banks of the Tiber River.
She spent her time hunting deer
across the fields with her spear
and trapping them in nets. All the
young men were dazzled by her
beauty and thought she must be
the sister of Phoebus (Apollo), the
god of the sun. To each of these
suitors who pursued her, Carna
would say, “It’s too bright out here,
and with light comes shame. Lead
me to a secluded cave.” While the
young man led the way, Carna
would hide among the trees and
vanish from sight.Janus and the nymph
Carna then caught the attention
of the two-faced god of doorways,
Janus, who desired her as the
others had. When he spoke softly
to her, she as usual suggested
retiring to a cave. But when she
disappeared into the thicket, Janus
saw where she was hiding, for he
had eyes in the back of his head.He pounced on her and took his
pleasure. To reward her, he made
her Cardea, the goddess of the door
hinge, who opens what is shut and
shuts what is open, and gave her a
branch of flowering white hawthorn
to drive evil spirits away.
The ability to banish evil would
prove useful in Cardea’s role as the
protector of babies in the cradle.
She saved the five-day-old Proca
(the great-grandfather-to-be of
Romulus and Remus) from an
attack by shrieking owls that
preyed like vampires on infants. ■ANCIENT ROME
FOR LYING WITH
ME, TAKE CONTROL
OF THE HINGE
CARNA AND JANUSIN BRIEF
THEME
Seduction and rewardSOURCE
Fasti (“The Book of Days”),
Ovid, 8 ce.SETTING
The grove of Alernus on the
banks of the River Tiber.KEY FIGURES
Carna A beautiful nymph,
who became Cardea, goddess
of the door hinge.Phoebus God of the sun,
known as Apollo in Greek
my t holo g y.Janus The god of gateways
and doorways, who raped
Carna before making her
into a goddess.Proca A baby; the ancestor
of Romulus and Remus, the
founders of Rome.Lead me [Carna]
to a secluded cave;
I’ll come.
FastiUS_120-121_Pygmalion_and_CarnaJanus.indd 121 01/12/17 4:22 pm