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Ovid Book 1: Lycaon: Lycanthropy and Vampyres

© Mary C. Legg

Ovid recalls the Four Ages of Man, describing the destruction of creation and the corruption of the world. The First Millenium was Gold: Men were content to live at peace and indeed so peaceful with one another that they had not yet begn to explore the earth. No cities crowded the rivers or crowned hills. Life was simple without need for fortifications. The trees bent over to give their fruit from extended fingers, the grapes and strawberries ripened in the sun while man was content to eat his fill without quarrelling with his neighbor.

The Second Age was Silver when Saturn fell to Death's dark contry and Jove began to rule. This age was not so rich as change came when Autumn brought her shifty winds and wild Winter ravaged earth, stripping the trees barren of their fruit. Ice crystallized the winter air and Spring restored the world with greenery, but lived a life too short. In this time, man learned to plough the land and work by the sweat of his brow to plant the seed and harvest the wheat, grinding gain for bread. His back against the wind, man built shelters for the winter, shutting his world into little boxes-each one defending for himself.

The Thid Age followed, filled with Bronze. Trumpets rang as men turned their ploughshares to swords and fought with one another still in fear of almighty Jove. And soon thereafter, came the Fourth, the Age of Iron in which we live today: man against man; each striving to maintain his selfish gain. The breast of Mother Earth sodden with men's blood as strife breaks out between the bitter quarrels of kingdoms and countries, each fighting for superiority. The values of the past are gone. No man trusts his brother while Piety, Faith, Love and Truth are all exchanged for Violence, Cheating, Deceit and Usury-the world turns with trade.

So it was when Jove decided to visit Earth disguised as a peasant to discover the ways of men and bring justice to the world. Death trod the earth as man watched warily of one another. Driven by greed to raid the bowels of earth, they succumbed to avarice and murder, each taking what he could. Brother distrusted brother and stepmothers devised poison as choice desserts for their sons. Fury raged within the walls of homes and spread across the land as countries fought with one another, threatening to destroy the foundations of the world.

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