The story of Baucis and Philemon is located in the 8th book of the Metamorphoses just after Theseus and Achleous. The story of Theseus and Achleous transitions into Baucis and Philemon very smoothly. Theseus and Achleous ends with Lelex, the storyteller, trying to prove that the gods hold all and unlimited power. He tells to them, “I will prove it with a story” (Metamorphoses). This ending smoothly translates into setting the scene for the story of Baucis and Philemon. Before the place in the story where I pick up at line 703, things that are important for fully understanding my part of Baucis and Philemon have passed. The tale starts with Mercury and Jupiter disguised as poor beggars going to a town looking for good people to take care of them. The entire town turned them down except for the old couple, Baucis and Philemon. They explain to the disguised gods that they do not have much, but that they are willing to share the little they have with them. The entire night, neither the food, nor the wine runs out. Jupiter and Mercury reveal themselves as gods and reveal to Baucis and Philemon that they want to punish the town by flooding it, but Baucis and Philemon, the only good people in the town, will not be harmed. My story picks up when Jupiter is asking them what they would like as a reward. The transition from the end of this story to the next, The Story of Erysichton, is not as smooth as the transition to the beginning. However, the last “paragraph” of Baucis and Philemon is sometimes put in the following story as an opening. I think it fits better with Baucis and Philemon as it provides a nice close to the story.
No other ancient authors have told the story of Baucis and Philemon. However, in the Bible, there are a few illusions to their story and the moral (show hospitality) in Genesis, Acts, and Hebrews. Many more modern authors have told the story of Baucis and Philemon. Jean de la Fontaine, a well-known French poet, told the story. Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of The Scarlet Letter, retold the story in his novel, The Miraculous Pitcher.
Word Count: 365