Bullfinch's Mythology

People are sometimes too proud of them and too egocentric and think that what they have done is superior to all the rest. “Pygmalion admired his own work, and at last fell in love with the counterfeit creation.” I think that two things may have happened here, either the sculpture was tremendously beautiful and very human like or the creator was too proud of his work that he fell in love with him. “Venus, who was present at the festival, heard him and knew the thought he would have uttered; and as an omen of her favor, caused the flame on the altar to shoot up thrice in a fiery point into the air. When he returned home, he went to see his statue, and leaning over the couch, gave a kiss to the mouth. It seemed to be warm. He pressed its lips again, he laid his hand upon the limbs; the ivory felt soft to his touch and yielded to his fingers like the wax of Hymettus. Pygmalion.” This part of this story symbolizes the transformation from an ordinary object to a real human being. I think objects can become like humans depending on how much the person cares about the object.

“The plant was no other than the nymph Lotis, who, running from a base pursuer, had been changed into this form.” People can sometimes make mistakes that affect you tremendously even if you don’t mean any harm when you make the mistake. In this case the person didn’t know what would happen so she made the mistake trying to make a good act. “The woodiness crept upward, and by degrees invested her body. In anguish she attempted to tear her hair, but found her hands filled with leaves. Dryope” As I am reading through this mythological stories I am finding out that nature plays a very big role because every time a human does something wrong to a god he or she is turned into a plant, or a rock or a flower.

“She who used to love to recline in the shade, with no care but to cultivate her charms, now rambles through the woods and over the hills, dressed like the huntress Diana; and calls her dogs, and chases hares and stags, or other game that it is safe to hunt, but keeps clear of the wolves and bears, reeking with the slaughter of the herd.” People can change in many ways when they are in love. People can be very rude to you and treat you bad but when they are in love with someone they can even start to treat you better and softer. Love can also be like a softener. There are human beings that are very grumpy and cold but when they are in love they become sweet and kind. “Your blood shall be changed into a flower Venus and Adonis” Flowers are like a symbol of past events because I always see that when a person dies and gods or earth want to remember them they turn them into a flower.