If you read only one post on this blog, this is the one.

Baucis & Philemon is my most favourite Greek & Roman Myth.  I used to drive my dad balmy by asking him to read it to me over and over when I was little.  I love myths with their moral undertones.  I love good overcoming evil.

The story has manifested itself into my being.  It is the one story I never get sick of reading.  It is the type of love story I used to wish for, and now pretty sure I have found.  It means a lot to me.  I hope you enjoy it too…

This story was taken from the book, Myth Stories of Greece and Rome – Illustrated written by Gladys Davidson.  Published by Blackie & Son Limited – London and Glasgow J. L. Paterson at the Villafield Press, Bishopbriggs (1941)

Baucis & Philemon

Artist Unknown- If you are or know of the artist please contact us

One wild and stormy night an old man of Phrygia, named Philemon, and his wife, Baucis, sat in their cottage, talking together by the fireside in great content.

Though they were growing old and were very poor, they were still as happy as in the days of their youth; for they had loved one another all their lives, and the joy in their hearts had never left them.

Their humble cottage was on the hillside a little way apart from the other houses; and though they always had a kind welcome for every traveller or visitor who called at the door, they did not have many dealings with the village folk in the valley below, who were so wicked, selfish, and cruel that the gods in Olympus were about to punish them that night.

Philemon and Baucis, however, did not know that anything strange was going to happen.  But when they heard a great noise down in the village below, they knew that the unkind  people there must be driving out some poor wanderer who had asked for shelter from the storm; for the rude villagers were never kind to strangers, but always chased them away with the savage dogs they kept for that purpose, and flung stones after them.  Philemon and Baucis hoped that the poor travellers would come to them for shelter; and they did.

Presently, they heard a knock upon their door; and as Philemon ran to open it, a bright flash of lighting showed him that two strangers stood there.  One was very tall and kingly-looking; and the other was a slender, graceful youth, with a wonderfully light and quick step.  Both were wrapped in long dark cloaks; and, seeing that they were very wet, Philemon drew them inside at once and closed the door to keep out the wind and rain.

“Come in, good sirs, come in!” he cried; “we are but poor and simple folk, but such food and warmth as we have we will gladly share with you.”

The old man helped his guests to remove their wet cloaks, and led them to sit by the fire; and Baucis made haste to set out the simple supper, laying upon the table some cakes of bread, a dish of fresh fruits and herbs from the garden, a comb of golden honey, and a jug of new milk.

While Philemon and Baucis were busy looking after their guests, they could not help noticing that they looked very different from any people they had ever seen before.  The elder and taller stranger had handsome features and an air of majesty; but his face was stern just now, for he was thinking of the bad people he had just left in the village below.  The graceful youth, though also very dignified, had so much that was strange about him that the old couple were soon filled with amazement.  For one thing, he had little wings on his sandals and on his cap; and he was so light and quick in his movements that he scarcely seemed to touch the ground as he walked.  And he carried with him a very curious staff, which also had wings on it as well as two serpents twisted around it at the top.

Now, though the old couple knew them not, these two strangers to whom they offered such a kind welcome were none other than Jupiter, King of Olympus, and Mercury, the God of Cunning and Gain, who was also known as the Messenger of the Gods, because his winged sandals made him so fleet of foot.  The gods had received so many complaints about the bad people of this village in Phrygia from travellers who had been treated badly by them, that Jupiter had now come himself, with Mercury as his companion, to prove the truth of these tales, intending to punish the offenders if he found them as bad as he had been told

He was not left long in doubt after the fierce treatment he and Mercury had received while passing through the village in disguise; but having, to his surprise, found a most kindly welcome at the cottage of old Philemon and Baucis, he was very pleased and hoped to find some way of returning such real hospitality.

“How is it that, though old and poor, you are still so happy and so fair to look upon?” he asked Baucis, who replied simply in her sweet gently voice: “I am happy because of the love in my heart; and if I am still fair to look upon, it is love that makes me so.”

Baucis & Philemon with Jupiter & Mercury Painted by Johann Heiss 1640-1704

Now Mercury was fond of a good joke; and he soon made the old couple stare at him in astonishment.  Seeing that that the milk jug was now empty, he asked for more to be brought.  When Baucis replied with great regret that there was no more in the house, Mercury tilted up the empty jug and at once a constant stream of fresh new milk poured forth, some of which was lapped up by the two serpents twisted about his staff.

Then when Philemon, poured out a cup of water for himself, not wishing to take the milk set before his guests, he was amazed to find, when when he put it to his lips, that it had been changed into rich red wine!

Everything the strangers touched they made more beautiful and rich.  The simple fruits in the dish grew larger and finer than any ever seen in the land before; and the bread and honey tasted more delicious than the richest foods at a royal feast.

When they saw these wonders, Philemon and Baucis knew that there was magic at work and that their guests were not ordinary mortals; but as they were too polite to worry them with questions, they continued to talk to them in their simple way.  When it was time to go to bed, they gave up their own sleeping-chamber to the guests and laid themselves down upon the hard floor before the hearth.

Next morning the kind old couple rose early in order to prepare another meal for their visitors; but Jupiter and Mercury said they could remain no longer but must continue their journey at once.  They now told their humble host and hostess who they really were, and suddenly stood revealed before them in their own dazzling forms; and when Philemon and Baucis knew that it was the mighty god Jupiter who had been their guest, they fell upon their knees before him, full of fear.

But Jupiter raised them at once and said graciously: “Do not be afraid, good Philemon and Baucis.  You have treated me and my companion well, and we will do well by you in return.  But the bad people of the village will no longer ill-treat strangers and do any more evil.  Behold!”

And when Philemon and Baucis opened their door, they saw that where the village had stood yesterday there was now a deep lake.

Jupiter then asked the old couple to name a gift he could bestow upon them as a reward for their own kindness to strangers.

At first Philemon and Baucis could think of nothing to ask, since, though poor, they were perfectly happy; but when Jupiter told them to think again they said: “The only thing that troubles us is that we are old and must expect soon to be parted from one another.  Is it too much to ask that we may live together for many more happy years, and that at last, when death draws near, we may die in the same hour, still full of love as we have ever been, and depart to the Land of Shades together?”

“It is not too much, and your wish shall be granted,” said Jupiter.

Then Jupiter and Mercury suddenly vanished out of sight in a vivid flash of lightening, followed by a loud peal of thunder, and when Philemon and Baucis opened their eyes again, they saw that their humble cottage had been changed into a wonderful temple, with pleasant rooms for them to live in and a beautiful garden in which they could sit out in the sunshine.

Here Philemon and Baucis now dwelt as servers in the temple for many more happy years.  And so full of love were they and so young did their happy hearts feel that, in the eyes of Philemon, Baucis was still as beautiful as in the days of her youth; and in the eyes of Baucis, Philemon was still as handsome and wonderful as ever.

And then, at last, when they had lived to a very great age- and the time came for them to die, they gently passed away in the same hour; and Mercury, the fleet-footed Messenger of the Gods, led their gentle spirits to the Land of Shades, and they entered the Elysian Fields together.

But, on either side of the temple where they used to sit, their sprang up an oak tree and a linden tree; and as the branches of the trees grew they twined together.  When the breeze stirred the leaves of the oak tree, they murmured gently: “I am old Philemon, and I still love my dear Baucis.” And when the leaves of the linden tree rustled they whispered softly: “I am old Baucis, and I still love my dear Philemon.”

Thus did Jupiter keep his promise; and Philemon and Baucis, who had loved one another so dearly in their lives, in death were not divided.

Thank you for reading Olivia x