METAMORPHOSES - Greek Mythology Link (original) (raw)
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| METAMORPHOSES Those who changed their shape | |
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Cycnus 6 turns into a swan (detail). 8603: Cygnus transformed to a swan and Phaeton’s sisters into poplars. Bernard Picart (1673-1733), Fabeln der Alten (Musen-Tempel), 1754. | |
| Character or thing | Turned into: | Notes. Id. = same as above. Sources, Abbreviations |
|---|---|---|
| Abas 10 | Bird | A comrade of Diomedes 2 in Italy (Ov.Met.14.505). |
| Acanthis | Bird | Turned into a bird by Zeus andApollo who felt pity for her and her family's fate (Lib.Met.7). |
| Acanthus | Bird | Turned into a bird by Zeus andApollo who felt pity for her and her family's fate (Lib.Met.7). |
| Achelous | Bull | Changed form fighting withHeracles 1 (Soph.Tra.9, Hyg.Fab.31, Dio.4.35.4). |
| Snake | Changed form fighting withHeracles 1 (Soph.Tra.9). | |
| Acis | River | Acis, whom was loved by Galatea 1, was buried by a rock hurled at him by jealous Polyphemus 2, and was turned into a river (Ov.Met.13.879ff.). |
| Acmon 1 | Bird | A comrade of Diomedes 2 in Italy (Ov.Met.14.484). |
 Actaeon |
Stag | See Actaeon (Ov.Met.3.190ff., Nonn.5.316). |
 Adonis' Blood |
Anemone | See Adonis (Ov.Fast.5.227, Ov.Met.10.728ff.). |
| Aedon | Nightingale | Aedon believed that she and her husband loved each other more than Zeus andHera. Aedon was changed into a nightingale (Hom.Od.19.518ff.). |
| Aegolius | Bird | Aegolius entered the cave of Zeus in Crete in order to gather the honey of the sacred bees, but was turned into a bird byZeus (Lib.Met.18). |
| Aegypius | Vulture | Aegypius slept with his own mother and was turned into a vulture by Zeus (Lib.Met.5.5). |
| Aesacus 1 | Diver | Aesacus 1 hurled himself down into the sea but Tethys transformed him into a diving bird (Ov.Met.11.784ff.). |
| Aethalides 2 | Dolphin | One of the sailors who tried to deludeDionysus 2 (Hyg.Fab.134). |
| Aethalion | Fish | One of the sailors who tried to deludeDionysus 2 (Ov.Met.3.581-691). |
| Agdistis' sexual organ | Almond tree | Agdistis was a demon with two sexual organs, male and female. The gods cut off the male organ and an almond tree grew up from it (Pau.7.17.10-11). |
| Aglaurus 2 | A black stone | Turned by Hermes into a black stone (Ov.Met.2.830). |
| Agrius 6 | Vulture | Agrius 6 was, like his brother Orius 3, a powerful giant who did not honour the gods and who devoured men (Lib.Met.21). |
| Agron 1 | Plover | An arrogant man who refused to pay respect to the gods. Turned into a plover by Hermes (Lib.Met.15). |
| Alcander 1 | Kinglet | A Molossian seer (Lib.Met.14). |
| Alcathoe | Bat | Along with her sisters refused to honourDionysus 2 (Ov.Met.4.410). |
| Bird | Along with her sisters refused to honourDionysus 2. Turned into a bird by Hermes (Lib.Met.10). | |
| Alcimedon 2 | Dolphin | One of the SAILORS who tried to deludeDionysus 2 (Ov.Met.3.581-691, Hyg.Fab.134). |
 Alcmena's corpse |
Stone | Died of old age and her corpse was transformed into a stone (Pau.9.16.7). |
| Alcyone 2 | Halcyon | Said that her husband was Zeus and her husband said she was Hera (Hyg.Fab.65). |
| Kingfisher | Said that her husband was Zeus and her husband said she was Hera (Apd.1.7.3-4). | |
| Alecto | Calybe 2 | Calybe 2 was Priestess of Hera in Italy (Vir.Aen.7.419). |
| Alope | Source | For fear of her father she exposed her child but was betrayed by her nurse. Poseidon transformed her into a spring (Hyg.Fab.187). |
| Ambrosia | Vineshoot | A Nymph who followed Dionysus 2 in his Indian campaign. She was caught by Lycurgus 1 but managed to escape by transforming into a vineshoot and instead catching him in her long foliage (Nonn.21.26). |
| Star | Later she became a star (Nonn.21.296). | |
| Ampelus | The Vine | A Phrygian young man, son of a Satyr and a Nymph, who was loved by Dionysus 2. He was killed by a bull and later turned into the vine (Nonn.10.178ff., 11.214ff., 12.173ff.; Ov.Fast.3.409). |
| Anaxarete | Stone | Was loved by Iphis 5, but mocked him (Ov.Met.14.698ff.). |
| Anthus | Bird | Devoured by his father's horses and turned into a bird byZeus andApollo (Lib.Met.7). |
| Antigone 3 | Stork | Dared to set herself against Hera and was turned into a stork by the goddess (Ov.Met.6.93). |
| ANTS | Men | Transformed into men by Zeus asAeacus was alone in the Island of Aegina (Apd.3.12.6, Hyg.Fab.52). |
 Aphrodite |
Maiden | (Vir.Aen.1.315). |
| Fish | (Ov.Met.5.319). | |
| Pisinoe 2 | (Nonn.4.72). | |
| Dryope 3 | (Val.2.174). | |
 Circe |
(Val.7.210). | |
 Apollo |
Kite | (Lib.Met.28). |
| Turtle | (Lib.Met.32). | |
| Serpent | (Lib.Met.32). | |
| Butes 4 | (Vir.Aen.9.648). | |
 Paris |
(Hyg.Fab.107). | |
| Crow | (Ov.Met.5.319). | |
| Thracian (a bird) | (Hyg.Ast.2.28). | |
| Swan | (Nonn.2.218). | |
| Shepherd | (Ov.Met.6.124). | |
| Man | (Apd.2.5.9). | |
| Old woman | (Ov.Met.11.310). |
 Arachne |
Spider | See Arachne (Ov.Met.6.145). |
|---|---|---|
 Ares |
Fish | (Lib.Met.28). |
| Modaeus | (Nonn.32.165). | |
| Acamas 2 | (Hom.Il.5.460ff.). | |
| Arethusa 3 | Stream of water | A huntress with whom Alpheus fell in love. Arethusa 3, unwilling to marry, crossed to the island Ortygia, and there turned from a woman to a spring (Vir.Aen.3.694). |
| Arge | Doe | A huntress who was pursuing a stag and told it that she would catch it even if it equalled the speed ofHelius. Turned into a doe byHelius (Hyg.Fab.205). |
| Arsinoe 3 | Stone | Was loved by Arceophon, but she refused him. (A similar story is that of Anaxarete and Iphis 5.) (Lib.Met.39). |
| Arsippe | Bird | Along with her sisters refused to honourDionysus 2. Turned into a bird by Hermes (Lib.Met.10). |
| Artemiche | Bird | Opposed his brothers who wished to sacrifice asses against Apollo's will (Lib.Met.20). |
 Artemis |
Cat | (Lib.Met.28; Ov.Met.5.319). |
| Young Girl | (Lib.Met.15). | |
| Dorceus 3 | (Stat.Theb.9.809). | |
| Ascalabus | Gecko | Laughed at Demeter's way of drinking, when very thirsty she came to Attica looking for her daughter. Turned into a gecko byDemeter (Lib.Met.23). |
| Ascalaphus 2 | A short-eared Owl | Because Ascalaphus 2 bore witness against Persephone,Demeter laid a heavy rock on him in Hades. But laterHeracles 1 rolled away the stone of Ascalaphus 2, and then Demeter turned Ascalaphus 2 into a short-eared owl (Apd.2.5.12). |
| Aspalis | Statue of Artemis | Refused to be taken by force by Tartarus 2. Hanged herself and was turned into a statue of Artemis (Lib.Met.13). |
| Asteria 1 | Quail | In the likeness of a quail, flung herself into the sea in order to escape the amorous advances ofZeus (Apd.1.4.1). |
 Atalanta |
Lioness | When once Atalanta and Melanion were hunting they entered into the precinct ofZeus, and there, while making love, were changed into lions (Apd.3.9.2, Hyg.Fab.185, Nonn.12.89(. |
| Ate | A Boy | (Nonn.11.113). |
 Athena |
Herald | (Hom.Il.2.279, Try.112). |
| Mentes 2 | Mentes 2 was a Taphian leader. The goddess took his form to address Telemachus (Hom.Od.1.105). | |
| Mentor 4 | (Hom.Od.2.267, 22.205). | |
| Telemachus | The goddess turned into this young man when recruiting a crew for the ship, with whichTelemachus sailed toPylos (Hom.Od.2.382). | |
| Dymas 3's Daughter | (Hom.Od.6.22). | |
| Young girl | (Hom.Od.7.19). | |
| Young Shepherd | (Hom.Od.13.221). | |
| Tall woman | (Hom.Od.16.155). | |
| Melas 6 | (Pau.8.28.5). | |
| Young girl | (Lib.Met.15). | |
| Laodocus 3 | (Hom.Il.4.85). | |
| Orontes 2 | (Nonn.26.10). | |
| Morrheus 1 | (Nonn.40.74). | |
 Attis |
Pine tree | A Lydian dear to Cybele, who also was her messenger. Went mad and castrated himself (Ov.Met.10.105). |
| Aura 2 | Fountain | A Phrygian huntress unacquainted with love. Was ravished by Dionysus 2 while asleep (Nonn.48.935). |
| Autonous 3 | Stone curlew | Owned many horses. Turned into a stone curlew byZeus andApollo (Lib.Met.7). |
| Battus 1 | Stone | A servant of Neleus who falsely promised Hermes not to tell about the cattle stolen by the god. Turned byHermes into a stone (Ov.Met.2.688ff.). |
| Baucis | Tree | Offered hospitality to Zeus andHermes when they came disguised as mortals. Turned into one of the two trunks of the same tree, the other being her husbandPhilemon (Ov.Met.8.720). |
| Botres | Bee-eater | Ate the brains of a sheep that had been sacrificed before it had been put in the altar. Turned into a Bee-eater byApollo (Lib.Met.18). |
| Bulis | Bird | Deluded by Neophron, slept with her own son (Lib.Met.5.5). |
| Byssa | Bird | Refused to honour the gods (Lib.Met.15). |
 Cadmus |
Serpent | (Apd.3.5.4). |
| Caeneus 1 | The other sex | Once a woman called Caenis, she was turned into an invulnerable man by Poseidon (Lib.Met.17). |
 Callisto |
Bear | (Hyg.Ast.2.1). |
| Celeus 2 | Bird | Together with Laius 2, Cerberus 3 and Aegolius entered the cave of Zeus inCrete in order to gather the honey of the sacred bees. Turned into a bird byZeus (Lib.Met.18). |
| Celmis | Adamant | One of the Idaean DACTYLS (Ov.Met.4.282). |
| Cephalus 1 | A stranger | An Athenian (Hyg.Fab.189). |
| Cerambus | Beetle | Insulted the NYMPHS and was changed by them into a beetle (Ov.Met.7.353). |
| CERASTAE | Bullocks | People of Cyprus changed into bullocks byAphrodite (Ov.Met.10.222ff.). |
| Cerberus 3 | Bird | Together with Laius 2, Celeus 2 and Aegolius, he entered the cave of Zeus inCrete in order to gather the honey of the sacred bees. Turned into a bird byZeus (Lib.Met.18). |
| CERCOPES | Apes | Malefactors punished by Heracles 1. Turned into apes by Zeus (Ov.Met.14.92). |
|---|---|---|
| Ceyx | Halcyon | (Hyg.Fab.65). |
| Gannet | (Apd.1.7.4). | |
| Chelidon | Bird | Was raped by Polytechnos, and became the servant of her sister Aedon. Turned into a bird byZeus (Lib.Met.11). |
| Cissus | A plant | One of the SATYRS who participated in a contest of footrunning with Ampelus (Nonn.12.190). |
| Clinis | Bird | A very rich man from a place near Babylon. Turned into a bird by Apollo (Lib.Met.20). |
 Clytia 3 |
Her face turned into a flower like a violet, and herself into a plant. | Clytia 3 loved Helius, but was ignored by the god when he met Leucothoe 2 (Ov.Met.4.268). |
| Coroneus' Daughter | Crow | Pursued, because of her beauty, byPoseidon, she cried out for help to both gods and men, and Athena turned her into a crow (Ov.Met.2.542ff.). |
| Cragaleus | Rock | Apollo,Artemis andHeracles 1 came to him in order that he would settle their differences concerning the city of Ambracia in Epirus. Turned into a rock byApollo (Lib.Met.4.7). |
 Cronos |
Horse | Cronos begot the CentaurChiron in a horse's shape (Ov.Met.6.126). |
| Crow 1 | From white to black | Had to guard Coronis 2. Told Apollo that she had wedded Ischys. Cursed by Apollo, became black instead of white (Hyg.Fab.202, Ov.Met.2.540). |
| Crumissa's citizens | Cattle | (Hyg.Fab.188). |
| Ctesylla | Dove | Loved Hermochares against her father's will. Died while giving birth and was turned into a dove (Lib.Met.1.1-5). |
| Cycnus 1 | Swan | (Ov.Met.12.144). |
| Cycnus 6 | Swan | (Ov.Met.2.367). |
| Cycnus 7 | Swan | (Ov.Met.7.371). |
| Cyparissus | Cypress | He could not find consolation after the death of the stag dear to him. He turned into a cypress andApollo decided that his place would always be where others grieve (Ov.Met.10.121ff.). |
| Daedalion | Hawk | Out of grief for his daughter's death he hurled himself from Parnassus' top, but Apollo turned him into a hawk (Ov.Met.11.339). |
| Daphne 1 | Laurel | (Ov.Met.1.544ff.). |
| Daphnis 1 | Stone | A shepherd-boy of Ida. Turned into a stone by a Nymph, out of jealousy (Ov.Met.4.277). |
| Dercetis 1 | Fish | A Babylonian, of whom the Syrians believe she changed into a fish (Ov.Met.4.45). |
| Dictys 3 | Dolphin | One of the SAILORS who tried to deludeDionysus 2 (Hyg.Fab.134; Ov.Met.3.581-691). |
| Diomedes 2's companions | Birds | (Ov.Met.14.483; Strab.6.3.9). |
 Dionysus 2 |
Goat | (Ov.Met.5.319). |
| Kid | (Apd.3.4.3, Lib.Met.28). | |
| Young girl | (Lib.Met.10). | |
| Bull | (Lib.Met.10, Nonn.40.51). | |
| Lion | (Lib.Met.10, Nonn.36.300). | |
| Leopard | (Lib.Met.10). | |
| Storm of fire | (Nonn.36.291ff.). | |
| Running water | (Nonn.36.291ff.). | |
| Pine | (Nonn.36.291ff.). | |
| Panther | (Nonn.36.291ff.). | |
| Boar | (Nonn.36.291ff.). | |
| Human shape | (Nonn.42.355ff.). | |
 DIOSCURI |
Strangers | (Pau.3.16.2ff.). |
| Dryope 1 | Lotus | The most beautiful of the Oechalian girls (Ov.Met.9.350ff.). |
| Nymph | The most beautiful of the Oechalian girls (Lib.Met.32). | |
| Echo's bones | Stone | (Ov.Met.3.397). |
| Elais | White dove | Transformed into oil everything she touched (Ov.Met.13.674). |
| Epopeus 3 | Fish | One of the SAILORS who tried to deludeDionysus 2 (Ov.Met.3.581-691). |
| Erodius | Bird | He took care of the horses that attacked his brother Anthus 1 (Lib.Met.7). |
 Eros |
Fish | (Hyg.Ast.2.30). |
 Silenus |
(Nonn.11.351). | |
| Erysichthon 2's Daughter | Fisherman | Her father's greed for food was so great that, at last, when all his fortunes had been swallowed up, he sold his daughter. But she prayed toPoseidon and the god changed her form, giving her the features of a man and garments proper to a fisherman. When her master went away her former shape was given back to her. But when her father noticed that his daughter had the power to turn into different forms, he sold her often and to many master. With each new master she changed into a new form (Ov.Met.8.843ff.). |
| Mare | Id. | |
| Bird | Id. | |
| Cow | Id. | |
| Deer | Id. | |
| Ethiopians | Birds | (QS.2.641ff.). |
| Eumelus 5 | Raven | His arrogant children despised all the gods but one. Turned into a raven by Hermes (Lib.Met.15). |
|---|---|---|
| Eurymede 2 | Bird | Transformed into a bird byArtemis (Lib.Met.2.6). |
| Everything | Corn | Spermo transformed into corn everything she touched (Apd.Ep.3.10). |
| Oil | Elais transformed into oil everything she touched (Apd.Ep.3.10). | |
| Wine | Oeno transformed into wine everything she touched (Apd.Ep.3.10). | |
| Galanthis | Weasel | Alcmena's attendant at the birth of Heracles 1. Turned into a weasel by Ilithyia or by theMOERAE (Ov.Met.9.306, Lib.Met.29). |
 Glaucus 7 |
Sea-deity | Had been a mortal fisherman, but after chewing a plant became a sea-deity (Ov.Met.13.898). |
| Gorge 2 | Bird | Mother of Tydeus 2, father ofDiomedes 2 (Lib.Met.2.6). |
| Haemus 1 | Mountain | Offended the gods (Ov.Met.6.83). |
| Harmonia 1 | Serpent | Turned into a serpent and sent away byZeus to theElysian Fields (Apd.3.5.4). |
| Harpalyce 2 | The bird Chalcis | Lay with her father and served her son to him at a banquet. She prayed Heaven that she might be translated away from mankind, and she was transformed into the bird called the Chalcis (Parth.14.4). |
| Harpasus | Bird | Together with his brother Lycius 2 wished to sacrifice asses against Apollo's will. Devoured by his father's asses and turned into a bird byPoseidon (Lib.Met.20). |
| Harpe 1 | Bird | Turned into a bird byPoseidon (Lib.Met.20). |
 Hecabe 1 |
Bitch | Buried at the place called the Bitch's Tomb as she turned into a bitch (Apd.Ep.5.23, Hyg.Fab.111, QS.14.348). |
| HELIADES 1 | Poplars | The daughters of Helius by Clymene 1.They were turned into poplars (Hyg.Fab.152, 154, Vir.Aen.191). |
| HELIADES 1's tears | Amber | They wept for their brotherPhaethon 3 and their tears hardened into amber (Hyg.Fab.154, Dio.5.23.4). |
 Hephaestus |
Ox | (Lib.Met.28). |
 Hera |
Amazon | (Apd.2.5.9). |
| Old woman | (Hyg.Fab.13, 22). | |
| Beroe 3 | (Hyg.Fab.167). | |
| White Cow | (Ov.Met.5.319). | |
| Melaneus 7 | (Nonn.14.304). | |
| Melampus 1 | (Nonn.47.535). | |
| Chalciope 2 | (Val.6.479). | |
 Heracles 1 |
Fawn | (Lib.Met.28). |
 Hermes |
Ibis | (Ov.Met.5.319, Lib.Met.28). |
| Shepherd | (Lib.Met.15). | |
| Phanes 1 | (Nonn.9.142). | |
| Young Man | (Nonn.3.411). | |
| Dionysus 2 |
(Nonn.35.227). | |
| Hierax 2 | Hawk | He would not honour Poseidon and the god transformed him into a hawk (Lib.Met.2.6). |
| Hippodamia 7 | Lark | Turned into a lark by Zeus andApollo (Lib.Met.7). |
| Hippomenes 2 | Lion | Through winning a race, conqueredAtalanta and married her (Ov.Met.10.689ff.). |
| Hyacinthus 1's Blood | Flower | See Hyacinthus 1 (Ov.Met.10.185). |
| Hydaspes 1 | His bull-form into human shape | (Nonn.30.87). |
 Hylas |
An echo | Friend of Heracles 1 who was ravished away by NYMPHS in Mysia on account of his beauty. Turned into an echo by theNYMPHS (Lib.Met.26). |
| Hyperippe 3 | Diver | Turned into a diver by Zeus (Lib.Met.14). |
| Hypermestra | The other sex | Under the form of a woman was a prostitute, but changing into a man was able to maintain his father (Lib.Met.17). |
| Hyrie | Swan | Hyrie melted away in tears or threw herself into a lake and was turned into a swan. She grieved for her son's death, not knowing he had been transformed into a swan (Lib.Met.12). |
| Idas 9 | Bird | A comrade of Diomedes 2 in Italy (Ov.Met.14.505). |
 Io |
White Cow | (Apd.2.1.3, Nonn.3.267). |
| Iodama | Stone | Served as priestess in the precinct ofAthena near Coroneia.Athena appeared to her wearing a tunic in which was worked the head ofMedusa 1, and she turned into a stone (Pau.9.34.2). |
| Iphis 4 | The other sex | Was born a girl but, when she was about to marry, became a boy (Ov.Met.9.666ff.). |
 Iris 1 |
Beroe 2 | (Vir.Aen.5.621). |
| Polites 1 | (Hom.Il.2.795). | |
| Laodice 3 | (Hom.Il.3.121). | |
| Ares |
(Nonn.20.190). | |
 Nyx |
(Nonn.31.132). | |
| Juturna | Camers | (Vir.Aen.12.224). |
| Metiscus | (Vir.Aen.12.469ff.). |
| Laelaps 2 | Stone | See Amphitryon (Apd.2.4.7). |
|---|---|---|
| Laius 1 |  Tiresias |
(Stat.Theb.2.96). |
| Laius 2 | Bird | Together with Celeus 2, Cerberus 3 and Aegolius entered the cave of Zeus inCrete in order to gather the honey of the sacred bees. urned into a bird byZeus (Lib.Met.18). |
| Lelante | Woodpecker | Her home was attacked by bandits. Turned into a woodpecker by the pity of Zeus (Lib.Met.14). |
| Lethaea | Stone | Lethaea was boastful about her beauty (Ov.Met.10.68). |
 Leto |
Shrew-mouse | (Lib.Met.28). |
| Leucippe 4 | Bird | Refused to worship Dionysus 2. Turned into a bird byHermes (Lib.Met.10) |
| Leucippus 6 | The other sex | From birth was a girl and her mother asked the gods to change her sex, and Leto turned her into a boy (Lib.Met.17). |
| Leuconoe 1 | Bat | Daughter of Minyas (Ov.Met.4.410). |
| Libys | Fish | One of the SAILORS who tried to deludeDionysus 2 (Ov.Met.3.581-691). |
| Lichas 1 | Rock | Herald of Heracles 1. Turned into a rock in the Euboean Sea after having being hurled down by Heracles 1 (Ov.Met.9.211). |
| Lotis | Lotus | Transformed into a lotus while fleeing fromPriapus (Ov.Met.9.347). |
| Lycabas 2 | Fish | One of the SAILORS who tried to deludeDionysus 2 (Ov.Met.3.581-691). |
 Lycaon 2 |
Wolf | (Hyg.Fab.176). |
| Lycius 2 | Raven | Together with his brother Harpasus wished to sacrifice asses against Apollo's will. He was devoured by his father's asses and turned into a white raven that became black at once (Lib.Met.20). |
| Lycus 6 | Bird | (Ov.Met.14.505). |
| Lyncus 1 | Lynx | King of Scythia to whomTriptolemus came withDemeter's grain, and who attacked him with a sword (Ov.Met.5.650ff.). |
| Macareus 2 | Pig | A Neritian comrade ofOdysseus. Transformed into a pig by Circe (Ov.Met.14.159ff.). |
| Medon 6 | Fish | One of the SAILORS who tried to deludeDionysus 2 (Ov.Met.3.581-691). |
| Megaletor | Bird | Turned into a bird by the pity ofZeus (Lib.Met.14). |
| Melanion | Lion | While hunting Melanion andAtalanta entered into the precinct of Zeus, and there taking their fill of love were changed into lions (Apd.3.9.2). |
| Melanippe 1 | Mare | Fled into the forest so that her father might not see that she had given birth to a child. Turned into a mare by the gods when she asked to be concealed, or byArtemis for ceasing to worship her (Hyg.Ast.2.18). |
| Melanippe 5 | Bird | Transformed into a bird byArtemis (Lib.Met.2.6). |
| Melanthus 2 | Fish | One of the SAILORS who tried to deludeDionysus 2 (Ov.Met.3.581-691). |
| Melas 7 | Dolphin | One of the sailors who tried to deludeDionysus 2 (Hyg.Fab.134). |
| MELEAGRIDS | Birds | Turned into birds by Artemis (Lib.Met.2.6). |
| Menippe 2 | Comet | Daughter of Orion. Killed herself to save her people from pestilence and was turned into a comet (Lib.Met.25). |
| Meropis | Owl | Turned into an owl by Athena (Lib.Met.15). |
| Merops 3 | Eagle | Ruler in Cos. Turned into an eagle byHera (Hyg.Ast.2.16). |
| Metioche 2 | Comet | Daughter of Orion. Killed herself to save her people from pestilence and was turned into a comet (Lib.Met.25). |
| Metis 1 | Many Shapes | (Apd.1.3.6). |
| Minthe | Mint | Concubine of Hades. Transformed into a plant called Hedyosmos (mint) byPersephone (Strab.8.3.14). |
| Munichus | Woodpecker | Ruled over the Molossians and was a good seer. The whole of his family were attacked by robbers who put fire to their buildings. Turned into a sparrow hawk byZeus (Lib.Met.14). |
 Narcissus |
Flower | Fell in love with himself or with his sister (Ov.Met.3.509). |
 Nemesis |
Goose | (Apd.3.10.7). |
| Fish | (CYP.8). | |
| Other dread creatures | (CYP.8). | |
| Neophron | Vulture | Was of the same age as Aegypius and, being jealous because of the love between his mother and Aegypius, he himself became the lover of Aegypius' mother and deluded her to sleep with her son. Turned into a vulture byZeus (Lib.Met.5.5). |
 Nike |
Leto | (Nonn.2.205). |
 Niobe 2 |
Stone | See NIOBIDS (Nonn.14.274ff.). |
 Nisus 1 |
Osprey | King of Megara (Ov.Met.8.145). |
| Nycteus 3 | Bird | A comrade of Diomedes 2 in Italy (Ov.Met.14.505). |
| Nyctimene | Owl | Slept with her father. Changed into an owl byAthena (Hyg.Fab.204). |
| Nymph 17 Indian | Bird | A Hamadryad Nymph who warnedDionysus 2 of an ambush prepared by the Indian army (Nonn.22.114). |
| NYMPHS LAMUSIDES' sons | CENTAURS HORNED | Because of an enchantment they became creatures with long ears, and a horse's tail sticking out straight from the loins; from the temples cow's horns sprouted out, long teeth grew out of their jaws and a strange kind of mane covered their necks with rough hair (Nonn.14.172ff.). |
| Ocyrrhoe 2 | Horse | Daughter of Chiron (Ov.Met.2.660ff.). |
| Odysseus' comrades | Pigs | Turned into pigs by Circe (Hom.Od.10.235ff.). |
| Wolves | Turned into wolves by Circe (Apd.Ep.7.15). | |
| Oeno | White dove | Transformed into wine everything she touched. Turned into a white dove (Ov.Met.13.674). |
| Oenoe 2 | Crane | Was born in the land of the Pygmies. She was too proud to honour Hera orArtemis (Lib.Met.16). |
| Olenus 3 | Stone | Was innocent but wished to share the fate of his wife Lethaea (Ov.Met.10.68). |
|---|---|---|
| Opheltes 3 | Fish | One of the SAILORS who tried to deludeDionysus 2 (Ov.Met.3.581-691). |
| Orius 3 | Bird | Was, like his brother Agrius 6, a powerful giant who did not honour the gods and who devoured men (Lib.Met.21). |
| Ortygius 1 | Tit | Opposed his brothers who wished to sacrifice asses against Apollo's will (Lib.Met.20). |
 Pan |
Goat | (Hyg.Fab.196). |
| Lower part fish and upper goat | (Hyg.Ast.2.28). | |
| Pandareus | Rock | A Cretan from Miletus who had been involved in the theft of Tantalus 1 (Lib.Met.36). |
| Eagle | A Cretan from Miletus who had been involved in the theft of Tantalus 1 (Lib.Met.11). | |
| Perdix | Partridge | Inventor of the saw. Daedalus threw him down from a citadel butAthena turned him into a partridge (Ov.Met.8.236ff.). |
| Periclymenus 1 | Ant | Son of Neleus.Poseidon granted him the power of changing his shape (Hes.CWE.10). |
| Lion | Son of Neleus.Poseidon granted him the power of changing his shape (Apd.1.9.9). | |
| Snake | Son of Neleus.Poseidon granted him the power of changing his shape (Apd.1.9.9, Hes.CWE.10). | |
| Swarm of bees | Son of Neleus.Poseidon granted him the power of changing his shape (Hes.CWE.10). | |
| Bee | Son of Neleus.Poseidon granted him the power of changing his shape (Apd.1.9.9). | |
| Eagle | Son of Neleus.Poseidon granted him the power of changing his shape (Hes.CWE.10). | |
| Perimede 1 | Island | Perimede 1 was hurled down from a high cliff by her father. But Achelous caught her and kept her floating while praying to Poseidon, who turned her into an island (Ov.Met.8.591). |
| Periphas 6 | Eagle | Reigned in Attica before the time of Cecrops 1. Turned by Zeus into an eagle (Lib.Met.6.3). |
 Pheme |
Neaera 5 | Neaera 5 was a Lemnian woman, whose shape Pheme took when she visited Eurynome 7 to warn her about her husband having taken a Thracian wife (Val.2.141). |
| Philaeus 2 | Bird | Turned into a bird by the pity ofZeus (Lib.Met.14). |
| Philemon | Tree | (Ov.Met.8.720). |
| Philomela 1 | Nightingale | See Tereus 1 (Hyg.Fab.45). |
| Swallow | See Tereus 1 (Apd.3.14.8). | |
| Philyra 1 | Linden | When she saw that she had borne a strange species (a centaur), she asked Zeus to change her into another form, and she was turned into the tree called linden (Hyg.Fab.138). |
| Phineus 1 | Stone | Had first been betrothed toAndromeda and plotted againstPerseus 1 who, by showing him the head of Medusa 1, turned him into stone (Apd.2.4.3). |
 Picus |
Woodpecker | See Circe (Vir.Aen.7.187). |
| PIERIDES | Magpies | Nine sisters who defied theMUSES in a contest of song and were defeated (Ov.Met.5.294ff.). |
| Pirates | Dolphins | Those Tyrrhenian sailors who attempted to deludeDionysus 2 (Apd.3.5.3). |
| Polydectes 1 | Stone | See Perseus 1 (Apd.2.4.3). |
| Polyphonte | Owl | Despised Aphrodite and became the companion of Artemis, but Aphrodite inspired in her a passion for a Bear (Lib.Met.21). |
| Polytechnos | Woodpecker | A carpenter living in Colophon, Lydia, who raped his wife's sister and was punished by her family. Turned into a woodpecker by Zeus (Lib.Met.11). |
 Poseidon |
Ram | (Ov.Met.6.117, Hyg.Fab.188). |
| Horse | (Ov.Met.6.119). | |
| Dolphin | Poseidon consorted with Melantho 2, taking the form of a dolphin (Ov.Met.6.120). | |
| Winged bird | (Ov.Met.6.119). | |
| Bull | (Ov.Met.6.115). | |
| Enipeus | (Ov.Met.6.116). | |
| Man | (Apd.2.5.9). | |
| Calchas | Assuming the likness ofCalchas,Poseidon encouraged the AIANTES (Ajax 1 andAjax 2) to stand firm in front of a Trojan attack against the Achaean camp (Hom.Il.13.45). | |
| Procne | Swallow | See Tereus 1 (Hyg.Fab.45). |
| Nightingale | See Tereus 1 (Apd.3.14.8). | |
| PROPOETIDES | Stone | Denied the divinity ofAphrodite and, through her wrath, they became the first to prostitute their bodies (Ov.Met.10.121ff.). |
| Proreus 2 | Fish | One of the SAILORS who tried to deludeDionysus 2 (Ov.Met.3.581-691). |
 Proteus 2 |
Lion | The Old Man of the Sea. By his art he changes his real figure for a false semblance, but soon returns to his true form (Hom.Od.4.456ff., Nonn.43.225ff.). |
| Snake | Id. (Hom.Od.4.456ff., Nonn.43.225ff.). | |
| Leopard | Id. (Hom.Od.4.456ff.). | |
| Boar | Id. (Hom.Od.4.456ff., Nonn.43.225ff.). | |
| Water | Id. (Hom.Od.4.456ff., Nonn.43.225ff.). | |
| Tree | Id. (Hom.Od.4.456ff., Nonn.43.225ff.). | |
| Bull | Id. (Ov.Met.8.731). | |
| Stone | Id. (Ov.Met.8.731). | |
| Flame | Id. (Ov.Met.8.731). | |
| Psamathe 1 | Seal | A Nereid (Apd.3.12.6). |
| Rhexenor 3 | Bird | A comrade of Diomedes 2 in Italy (Ov.Met.14.505). |
|---|---|---|
| Rhodope | Mountain | Offended the gods (Ov.Met.6.83). |
| SAILORS | Dolphins | Those Tyrrhenian sailors who attempted to deludeDionysus 2 (Ov.Met.3.581-691, Hyg.Fab.134). |
| Schoeneus 3 | Bird | Turned into a bird by Zeus andApollo (Lib.Met.7). |
| Scylla 2 | Fish | For the sake of Minos 2, betrayed her father (Hyg.Fab.198). |
| Bird | Id. (Ov.Met.8.150). | |
| Serpent 21 | Stone | A serpent seen by the Achaeans at Aulis (Apd.Ep.3.15). |
| Serpents | Stone | (Nonn.44.114). |
| Shepherds | Trees | (Lib.Met.31) |
| Ship | Cymodoce 2 | (Vir.Aen.10.220ff.). |
| Ships | Naiads | (Ov.Met.14.540ff., Vir.Aen.10.220). |
| Simon | Dolphin | One of the sailors who tried to deludeDionysus 2 (Hyg.Fab.134). |
| Siproites | The other sex | Changed his sex after seeingArtemis bathing (Lib.Met.17). |
| Sithon 1 | The other sex | Changed sex, now woman, now man (Ov.Met.4.280). |
 Smyrna |
The tree called myrrh | Adonis' mother (Apd.3.14.4). |
| Souls of Greeks | Birds | (Lib.Met.37). |
| Spear | Laurel | (Plu.PS.6). |
| Spermo | White dove | Transformed into corn everything she touched. Turned into a white dove (Ov.Met.13.674). |
| Stones | Men and Women | See The Flood andDeucalion 1 (Hyg.Fab.153). |
| Tereus 1 | Hoopoe | (Pau.10.4.8). |
| Theophane | Ewe | Poseidon carried her off and to deceive her suitors changed her into a ewe and himself into a ram (Hyg.Fab.188). |
| Theophane's suitors | Wolves | See Theophane (Hyg.Fab.188). |
 Thetis |
Bacchant Woman | One of the NEREIDS. See alsoAchilles (Nonn.33.348). |
| Various forms | Id. | |
| Timandra 2 | Tit | Turned by Zeus into a tit (Lib.Met.5.5). |
| Tiresias |
The other sex | A Theban seer (Lib.Met.17). |
| Tisiphone 1 | Phereclus 2 | One of the ERINYES (Stat.Theb.11.199). |
 Vertumnus |
Various forms | Vertumnus was able to change his shape (Ov.Met.14.642). |
| Vixen Cadmean | Stone | Turned into stone while being hunted by the dog Laelaps 2 which was so swift that no animal could escape (Apd.2.4.6). |
| WINEGROWERS | White doves | (Ov.Met.13.674). |
| Wolf 1 | Rock | Devoured the cattle that Peleus wished to give Irus 1 as the price for the death of Eurytion 1 (Lib.Met.38). |
| Young girls | Pines | (Lib.Met.32). |
| Zagreus | Young Zeus | Zagreus or Dionysus 1 (the first of two or maybe three Dionysus) was killed by the TITANS who destroyed him with an infernal knife, cutting him into pieces. For a time he appeared in different shapes but finally collapsed (Nonn.6.177). |
| Cronos |
Id. (Nonn.6.178). | |
| A Baby | Id. (Nonn.6.180). | |
| A Youth | Id. (Nonn.6.181). | |
| Lion | Id. (Nonn.6.182). | |
| Horse | Id. (Nonn.6.188). | |
| Serpent | Id. (Nonn.6.190). | |
| Tiger | Id. (Nonn.6.197). | |
| Bull | Id. (Nonn.6.197). | |
 Zeus |
Ram | (Ov.Met.5.319). |
| Bull 2 | Zeus turned himself into a bull, mounted Europa on his back and conveyed her through the sea toCrete (Apd.3.1.1, Nonn.1.46, 7.118). | |
| Stream of Gold | On approaching Danae (Apd.2.4.1, Nonn.7.120, Ov.Met.6.113). | |
 Amphitryon |
On approaching Alcmena (Apd.2.4.7, Ov.Met.6.113). | |
| a) Apollo b) Artemis |
(Apd.3.8.1). | |
| Artemis |
On approaching Callisto (Nonn.2.123, 33.289, 36.68). | |
| Swan | On approaching Leda (Apd.3.10.7, Hyg.Fab.77, Nonn.7.124). | |
| Flame | (Ov.Met.6.113). | |
| Snake | Zeus approachedPersephone in the form of a spotted snake (Ov.Met.6.114, Nonn.7.128, 7.329). | |
| Cuckoo | (Pau.2.17.4). | |
| Bull 10 | Zeus in the likeness of a bull mated with Io who had been transformed into a cow byHera (Aes.Sup.301). | |
| Dragon | (Nonn.5.568). | |
| Satyr | Zeus took the shape of a Satyr to approach Antiope 3 (Nonn.7.123, 33.301, Ov.Met.6.110). | |
| Eagle | When Zeus snatchedGanymedes and took him to heaven. Also Zeus approached Aegina in the shape of an eagle (Nonn.7.210, 33.297). | |
| Lion | (Nonn.7.322). | |
| Panther | (Nonn.7.322). | |
| Day-laborer | When coming to see impious Lycaon 2 (Apd.3.8.1). | |
| Shepherd | Zeus consorted withMnemosyne in the form of a shepherd (Ov.Met.6.114). | |
| Ant | Zeus consorted with Eurymedusa 2 having asumed the shape of an ant. Their son is Myrmidon (Clem.EG.2.34p). |