Storytelling for Week 3: Philemon and Baucis

There was mountain far away from the great cities and towns of our time's great cities and towns. On the other side of this mountain was a small village. The population in this village lived a very meager lifestyle. They did not have much, but what they did have, they would often sacrifice it in honor of the gods. This village pleased the gods, all except for two inhabitants: Philemon and Baucis. The man's grandfather had led many people to this habitation many ages ago. By the mountain, they found a great spring which gave life to the people who lived there. Philemon's grandfather declared himself the guardian of the spring, but shared its fruit with all of his followers.

Philemon's father, too, became the guardian after his father died, and so did Philemon become the guardian at his father's death. Unlike his fathers before him, however, Philemon was greedy and thought himself to be king of the spring and the village. Instead of sharing the wealth, he would demand the villagers most valued and sacred possessions in exchange for the sustenance provided by the spring. Philemon and Baucis built the finest home with their greed, filled with food, wines, and golden objects. Their home was like a temple compared to the others in the village. However, the gods saw their home as a blight on the village.

One day, Jupiter and Mercury decided to descend from the heavens, disguised as mortals, and visit this village. When they arrived, they appeared as tired travelers in need of shelter and food for the night. Hundreds of villagers offered their humble abodes as refuge for the travelers, but when Jupiter and Mercury spotted the home of Philemon and Baucis, they insisted that they stay there. The villagers cautioned the travelers that Philemon and Baucis would surely not welcome strangers in their home. The travelers insisted on asking anyways.

When first Jupiter and Mercury knocked on the great door at the home of Philemon and Baucis, they received no response. Upon the second knocking, they received warning to leave unless they had a payment great enough in exchange for the shelter of Philemon and Baucis’s home. While the travelers did have any item worth offering, they did offer their warm company, promising Philemon and Baucis a night filled with joy and laughter. Philemon and Baucis scoffed, stating they had no need for such things.

Jupiter and Mercury then left the home of Philemon and Baucis and walked to the village square. There, they revealed their true form as the gods, Jupiter and Mercury. Jupiter then spoke with a voice loud enough for all in the village to hear from inside their home. He declared Philemon unfit to guard the spring. Philemon and Baucis’s hearts were filled with greed and pride, but they were now to be humbled. He then destroyed their great home and all of their possessions. They both pleaded with Jupiter, begging him to stop. When at last there was nothing left, Baucis then pleaded that Jupiter allow her to be free of Philemon. She had no love for the man, just his power, but now that he had none, he was worthless to her. Jupiter, in rejection of her wish, formed a golden chain and linked Philemon and Baucis together at the feet.

Author’s Note:
The original story is practically the opposite of the one I wrote. Jupiter and Mercury travel to a corrupt land and are only welcomed into the humble dwelling of Philemon and Baucis. While the couple has hardly anything, they all have a great evening filled with laughter and joy. Jupiter then destroys the town, but spares the home of Philemon and Baucis, transforming it into a temple for the gods, which the couple then asks to watch over.

(Philemon and Baucis, Rubens)

I thought it would be fun to flip this story upside-down. Instead of a humble spirit being glorified, I wrote of a haughty spirit being humbled.

Bibliography
"Philemon and Baucis" translated by Tony Kline, from Ovid's Metamorphoses (2000).