Baucis & Philemon
To grow old together and never die alone
The poor elderly couple who unknowingly host Zeus and Hermes in disguise; as a reward they ask to die at the same moment, and are turned into two intertwined trees forever.
01Why it matters
It is the rare myth of calm, lasting love: the ideal of growing old together, never to be parted.
02The conflict
Poverty and their neighbors' indifference toward the gods.
03The iconic moment
The two becoming an intertwined oak and linden at the moment of death.
04What survived
Ovid's "Metamorphoses"; a symbol of married love in art.
05Frequently asked questions
Why is the story of Baucis & Philemon famous?
It is the rare myth of calm, lasting love: the ideal of growing old together, never to be parted.
How does the story of Baucis & Philemon end?
The two becoming an intertwined oak and linden at the moment of death. Ovid's "Metamorphoses"; a symbol of married love in art.
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