In the Bible's version of the flood, those who survive, Noah and his family, are those who were considered righteous by God. In the flood invoked by Jupiter, those who survive, Deaucalion and his wife, were not chosen to survive. They simply did and just so happened to be loyal to the gods. The story says that Jupiter saw that they had survived and thus decided to end the flood. He did not have the knowledge that they were going to survive. This difference in versions of the flood story is fascinating. Yet, that is not the only thing which caught my attention. In Jupiter's opening dialogue justifying why he is going to cause a flood, he states that "the incurable flesh must be excised by the knife, so that the healthy part is not affected"(Ovid I 177-198). He proceeds to say that the healthy parts are the demigods and that the gods should allow them to at least live in safety on the earth since they are not to be allowed in heaven. Thus, Jupiter wishes to get rid of the evil on the earth for the safety of the gods' children. However, this reasoning and goal seems to be forgotten when he floods the earth because, as I said before, only Deaucalion and his wife survive.
Jupiter's true reason for flooding the earth was he was angry. He was angry with Lycaon for trying to trick him. He was angry for the disrespect of the gods done by humans. He uses an emotional appeal towards the other gods by saying he must flood the earth for the safety of their children, and his speech stirs the gods to agreement. While the text says that the gods demand the punishment of Lycaon for committing such terrible actions against a god, Jupiter later stirs them to demand punishment for all of the human race, and he does not spare his children in his anger.
Jupiter's casting of vision for what he is going to do seems rather justified, or at least it appeals to the gods. However, Jupiter does not actually enact his goal. He truly has a different reason behind what he wishes to do, behind the flood. This story made me think of how some politicians or groups will cast a vision or give the goal behind something they are doing, but when it comes time to do the thing which they are doing, they do not accomplish the goal. This may be an odd place for my mind to have gone when reading this story, but I could not help but draw the parallel.
P.S. I commented on Hailey Riddle 's and Isabelle 's posts.
I really like your blog post! It made me think about how thankful I am that the true God is truthful and righteous. He is just and has sent a flood, similar to the story of Jupiter, but His had a story of redemption within it and was truly just, rather than a blind act of rage that swept through the innocent and the guilty.
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