Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Golden Lines: Metrical Music and Meaning in Ovid’s Midas

In the story of King Midas, Ovid uses metrical meter and punctuation for poetic emphasis. Ovid uses the metrical meter to emphasizes king Midas's journey, capturing his initial skepticism and growing delight through changes in poetic rhythm. Within lines 106 to 118 of the story, the god Bacchus grants king Midas the power to turn anything into gold. As the king first holds a stick in lines 108-109, he is skeptical of his powers, which we see in “vixque sibi credens, non alta fronde virentem/ ilice detraxit virgam: virga aurea facta est;” (Ovid). These lines translate to “and hardly believing himself, he draws down a green twig/ from a tall leafy holm oak: the twig had been made golden;” (Ovid). Here, the metrical meter slows down, as Ovid frequently uses spondees—metrical feet made of two long syllables—which add weight and gravity to the verse. This heavier rhythm mirrors Midas's hesitancy, emphasizing his disbelief and the uncertainty he feels about his newfound gift. The meter speeds up in line 112, “massa fit; arentis Cereris decerpsit aristas:” (112, Ovid), which translates to “He picked dry ears of Ceres’ grain; the harvest turned golden. ” (Ovid). This line, in contrast, uses more dactyls than spondees, which Ovid does to signify Midas’s newfound excitement towards his power. Ovid consistently uses great amounts of dactyls up to line 118. These consecutive fast lines indicate Midas's ecstasy as he tests out his powers. Within this passage, meter changes aren’t the only way in which Ovid uses poetic significance. Throughout the passage, Ovid uses colons, semicolons, and commas to signify a cause and effect. Ovid utilizes punctuation in lines such as “tollit humo saxum: saxum quoque palluit auro;” (110, Ovid), which translates to "he lifted a rock from the ground; the rock also turned to gold". the use of the colon creates a direct link between action and consequence. Midas touches an object—immediately, the object transforms. This recurring structure reinforces the power and consistency of Midas’s gift while also enhancing the rhythmic flow of the text. Through these lines, Ovid utilizes changes in metrical meter, along with punctuation, to highlight key aspects of the story, such as Ovid's emotional response to his powers, or the might of his god-given gift. The metrical meter works as a soundtrack, helping the readers feel the emotional doubt and wonder that Midas experiences.

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