Cyparissus, Ganymedes, and Hyacinthus

A Passage from Book 10 of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Translated and Annotated by Zoltán Csehy, with an Introduction by József Krupp

Abstract

In connection with the thematic focus of this issue—rethinking ancient conceptions of nature—this section presents three metamorphosis tales from Zoltán Csehy’s forthcoming complete translation of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Centered on the figures of Cyparissus, Ganymedes, and Hyacinthus, the passage explores human and divine desire, the intertwining of youth and the natural world, and the human condition dissolving into tree or star. The accompanying introduction and annotations offer not only mythological and philological commentary, but also invite a nuanced ecocritical reading of these deeply resonant episodes.