ambo — unity of the couple
Historic present — nītuntur
Simile — arrow's flight
Enjambment — sagitta / missa
sua tēcta — divine favour
Anaphora — dum... dum
Hyperbaton — delayed vertitur
Historic present — transformation
Polysyndeton — -que... -que... -que
placidō ōre — Jupiter's calm
Polyptoton — iūste... iūstō
commūne — shared decision
Unity of the Couple
Line 50: parent ambo
What's happening: Ovid kicks off with ambo ("both") — and that's no accident. Right from the start, he's telling us these two are a package deal. They do everything together, and this word sets up that theme for the whole passage.
In an exam: "Ovid places ambo ("both") prominently near the start of the sentence, establishing from the outset that Baucis and Philemon function as a unit. Their shared obedience to the gods foreshadows their later joint wish."
Historic Present
Line 51: nītuntur
What's happening: This is the historic present — Ovid switches from past tense to present tense to make things more vivid. Instead of telling us "they struggled," he puts us right there: "they struggle." It's like watching it happen live.
In an exam: "Ovid uses the historic present nītuntur ("they strive") to bring the reader into the moment. The switch from past narrative to present tense creates immediacy, making us feel the couple's exertion as they climb."
Arrow Simile
Lines 52-53: tantum aberant summō, quantum semel īre sagitta missa potest
What's happening: Ovid's borrowing from the epic poets here. Measuring distance by how far an arrow flies is very Homer and Virgil — it's the kind of grand imagery you'd expect in tales of heroes, not elderly peasants. That's the point: he's giving this humble couple the epic treatment.
In an exam: "The simile quantum semel īre sagitta missa potest ("as far as an arrow, once discharged, can go") lends epic grandeur to the scene. Ovid borrows the elevated register of Virgilian epic to underscore the divine significance of the moment."
Enjambment
Lines 52-53: sagitta / missa
What's happening: Enjambment is when a sentence runs over a line break. Here, "arrow" is at the end of one line and "discharged" starts the next — so the meaning literally flies across the gap, just like the arrow does. Clever stuff.
In an exam: "The enjambment of sagitta ("arrow") at the line's end, with missa ("discharged") following, enacts the arrow's trajectory. The reader must continue across the line break, just as the arrow travels through space."
Divine Favour
Line 54: tantum sua tēcta manēre
What's happening: Everyone else's homes? Underwater. But their house? Still standing. Ovid emphasises sua ("their own") and tantum ("only") to really drive home how special this exception is. The gods have picked these two out personally.
In an exam: "The juxtaposition of cētera ("the rest") submerged by the marsh with sua tēcta manēre ("their own house remaining") starkly demonstrates divine reward. The possessive sua ("their own") emphasises that this salvation is personal and earned."
Anaphora — Contrasting Emotions
Line 55: dum mīrantur... dum dēflent
What's happening: Anaphora is when you repeat a word at the start of clauses — here it's dum ("while"). The effect? We see two emotions happening at exactly the same time: they're amazed at being saved and crying for their neighbours. It's complicated, and the structure shows that.
In an exam: "The anaphora of dum ("while") creates a parallel between mīrantur ("they marvel") and dēflent ("they weep"), showing Baucis and Philemon experiencing wonder and grief simultaneously. Their compassion for others, even in their own miraculous salvation, further demonstrates their moral worth."
Hyperbaton / Delayed Verb
Lines 56-57: illa vetus... casa parva... vertitur
What's happening: Hyperbaton means putting words in an unusual order — here, Ovid makes us wait for the main verb. We hear "that old house, small for its two owners" and we're thinking "yes, and? what about it?" Then finally: "is turned into a temple." The delay builds suspense and makes the transformation hit harder.
In an exam: "Ovid uses hyperbaton to delay the main verb vertitur ("is turned"), forcing the reader to dwell on the humble origins of the house with illa vetus casa parva ("that old, small house"). This creates anticipation and emphasises the contrast between poverty and divine splendour."
Historic Present — Transformation
Lines 57-59: vertitur... subiēre... flāvēscunt... videntur
What's happening: The historic present again — but now there's a whole cluster of them. "Is turned... replace... turn golden... are seen." Ovid fires off present-tense verbs one after another so we experience the metamorphosis in real time. It's happening right before our eyes.
In an exam: "Ovid employs a series of historic presents — vertitur ("is turned"), subiēre ("replaced"), flāvēscunt ("become yellow") — to make the transformation unfold in real time. The reader witnesses each miraculous change as it happens."
Polysyndeton
Lines 58-59: -que... -que... -que
What's happening: Polysyndeton means piling up conjunctions — "and... and... and..." The repeated -que makes the list feel breathless and overwhelming. Golden roof and engraved doors and marble floor — it's too much to take in, which is exactly how Baucis and Philemon must have felt.
In an exam: "The polysyndeton in aurātaque... caelātaeque... adopertaque ("and golden... and engraved... and covered") creates a sense of wonder and overwhelm, mirroring how Baucis and Philemon would have experienced the rapid succession of miracles. The repeated -que ("and") suggests the changes are too numerous to fully process."
Jupiter's Calm Authority
Line 60: placidō... ōre
What's happening: Jupiter has just wiped out an entire village. Now he speaks "with a calm expression." Not worried, not guilty — just... calm. That contrast is chilling. It shows the massive gap between gods and mortals: what's devastating for humans is effortless for Jupiter.
In an exam: "The phrase placidō ōre ("with a calm expression") characterises Jupiter as serenely in control. Having just destroyed an entire community, his untroubled demeanour underscores the vast gulf between divine and mortal experience."
Polyptoton — Justice Theme
Line 61: iūste senex... coniuge iūstō
What's happening: Polyptoton is when you repeat the same word in different grammatical forms. Here Jupiter calls him "honest" (iūste) and says he has an "honest" (iūstō) wife. The repetition really hammers home the message: your justice is why you've been saved.
In an exam: "The polyptoton iūste... iūstō ("honest... honest") emphasises that justice is the couple's defining characteristic. Jupiter's repetition makes clear that their survival is not arbitrary but earned through moral integrity."
Shared Decision
Line 63: iūdicium... commūne
What's happening: Remember ambo ("both") at the start? Now we get commūne ("shared") at the end. Ovid's bookending the passage with words about togetherness. Even when making the biggest decision of their lives, they do it jointly. That's the whole point of their story.
In an exam: "Ovid's use of commūne ("joint") for their decision reinforces the theme of marital unity. Just as they opened the passage acting together (ambo), they close it making a shared choice, demonstrating that their bond defines every aspect of their lives."