batch.motif.roman-ovid-metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley-gutenberg-l13378-l13486
---
record_id: batch.motif.roman-ovid-metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley-gutenberg-l13378-l13486
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley.md
passage_locator:
label: BOOK THE FIFTEENTH. / EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION. / EXPLANATION.; lines 13378-13486
start: '13378'
end: '13486'
translation: The Metamorphoses of Ovid, Books VIII-XV
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: A god associated with Epidaurus travels to Italy and Rome in serpent form
aboard an Ausonian ship. He is received with sacrifices, incense, and public welcome,
chooses the island in the divided Tiber as his dwelling, resumes celestial form,
and ends mourning as a restorer of health.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: The god places his body in an Ausonian ship, which is described as laden with
divinity, while the descendants of Aeneas rejoice.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: A bull is slain on the seashore before the garlanded ship has its cables loosened.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: The god is visible aloft on the ship, pressing his neck against the stern
and looking down at the waters.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:4
text: The ship follows a coastal route past numerous Italian and Sicilian landmarks
before reaching Antium.
category: setting
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: When the sea is aroused near Antium, the deity unfolds his coils and enters
the temple of his parent near the yellow shore.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: After leaving the altars of his sire, the god drags his rattling scales across
the shore and returns to the ship.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:7
text: At the Tiber, men, matrons, and attendants of Vesta’s fires rush to meet the
god with joyful shouts.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:8
text: Altars are erected along both banks, frankincense burns, and sacrificial victims
are cut with knives.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:9
text: In Rome, the serpent rises upright, looks for a dwelling, and moves from the
Latian ship to an island formed by the divided river.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:10
text: The serpent is identified as the son of Phoebus and resumes celestial form,
ending mourning and coming to the city as a restorer of health.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: God of Epidaurus / serpent son of Phoebus
description: A deity traveling in serpent form, described as the God of Epidaurus,
the son of Phoebus, and the restorer of health.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Descendants of Aeneas
description: A group who rejoice when the god enters the Ausonian ship.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Sailors
description: Those who steer the sail-bearing ship carrying the deity.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: People at the Tiber
description: A crowd of matrons and men who rush to meet and welcome the god.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Attendants of Vesta’s fires
description: Those who tend Vesta’s fires and join the public welcome of the god.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Phoebus / sire of the god
description: The deity named as the serpent’s father; his altars and the temple
of the god’s parent are visited.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
roles:
- id: role:1
label: divine passenger
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The ship is described as carrying the god and being laden with divinity.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:2
label: serpent-form deity
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The deity unfolds coils, drags rattling scales, and is called the serpent
son of Phoebus.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: role:3
label: restorer of health
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: The passage states that he came to the city as the restorer of health.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:4
label: welcoming community
assigned_to:
- fig:2
- fig:4
- fig:5
basis: The descendants of Aeneas rejoice, and the crowd with Vesta’s attendants
welcomes the god.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
- id: role:5
label: ship handlers
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: The sailors steer the sail-bearing ship.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:6
label: divine parent
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: The passage refers to the god’s parent, sire, and identifies the serpent
as the son of Phoebus.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: serpent
literal_form: The god travels as a serpent with coils, scales, raised neck, and
upright posture.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs:
- serpent
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
- id: sym:2
label: divine ship
literal_form: The Ausonian or Latian ship carries the god as divine freight to Italy
and Rome.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:3
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:5
- id: sym:3
label: altars, incense, and victims
literal_form: Altars line the banks; frankincense burns; victims are sacrificed.
associated_figures:
- fig:4
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:4
label: divided river and island
literal_form: The river divides into two equal arms around dry land called the Island,
chosen by the serpent.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:5
label: Vesta’s fires
literal_form: Sacred fires tended by Vesta’s attendants are mentioned among those
welcoming the god.
associated_figures:
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs:
- fire
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Embarkation of the god
summary: The god enters the Ausonian ship; a bull is slain, the ship is garlanded,
and the voyage begins.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Coastal voyage toward Rome
summary: The divine ship moves along the Ionian and Italian coasts, passing named
shores, cities, promontories, springs, rivers, and sacred places.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Stop at the parent’s temple
summary: Near Antium, the serpent-form deity leaves the ship, enters the temple
of his parent, visits the altars of his sire, and returns to the ship.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:3
- fig:6
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:4
label: Public welcome at the Tiber
summary: Crowds and attendants of Vesta welcome the god with shouts while altars,
incense, and sacrifices line the banks.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:5
label: Settlement on the Tiber island
summary: The serpent rises, seeks a dwelling, moves from the ship to the island
formed by the river, resumes celestial form, and ends mourning.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
- sym:2
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: serpent-form healing deity arrives at a city
taxonomy_refs:
- serpent
basis: The god is repeatedly represented in serpent form and is identified at the
end as the restorer of health who comes to Rome.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: The passage gives a specific Roman reception narrative; broader serpent-healer
interpretation should be reviewed against surrounding context.
- id: motif:2
label: deity changes from animal form to celestial form
taxonomy_refs:
- shapeshifter
basis: The serpent son of Phoebus moves to the island and then resumes celestial
form.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: Only the return to celestial form is explicit in this passage; the initial
assumption of divine serpent form depends on the passage’s repeated identification
of the serpent as the god.
- id: motif:3
label: ritual reception of an arriving god
taxonomy_refs:
- sacrifice
basis: The god’s voyage begins and ends with ritual actions including slaughtered
bulls or victims, altars, incense, and public welcome.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:4
confidence: high
cautions: The passage describes ritual honors but does not explain their full civic
or cultic meaning within this excerpt.
- id: motif:4
label: sacred arrival by sea and river
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: The god is transported by ship over sea routes to the Tiber, then leaves
the ship for an island in the river.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- ev:5
confidence: medium
cautions: No specific supplied taxonomy family exactly matches this transport-and-installation
pattern.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 13378-13388
quote_or_summary: The god enters the Ausonian ship; the ship is conscious of divine
weight; the descendants of Aeneas rejoice; a bull is slain; the garlanded ship
departs, and the god is visible aloft by the stern looking at the waters.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; summary provided.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 13388-13418
quote_or_summary: The ship proceeds along the Ionian and Italian coasts, passing
named places including Lacinian shores, Scylacean coasts, Pæstum, Capreæ, Surrentine
hills, the temple of the Cumaean Sibyl, Sinuessa, Circe’s land, and Antium.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; summary provided.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 13419-13432
quote_or_summary: Near Antium, the deity unfolds his coils, enters the temple of
his parent, later leaves the altars of his sire, drags rattling scales over the
shore, and returns to the ship until reaching Lavinium and the Tiber.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; summary provided.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 13432-13443
quote_or_summary: At the Tiber, a crowd of matrons and men and those who tend Vesta’s
fires welcome the god; altars are erected along the banks, frankincense smokes,
and sacrificial victims are cut.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; summary provided.
- id: ev:5
type: quote
locator: lines 13444-13454
quote_or_summary: "“The serpent rises erect” and moves from the Latian ship to the
Island in the divided river; “the serpent, son of Phœbus” ends mourning after
“having resumed his celestial form” and comes as “the restorer of health.”"
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/roman/project-gutenberg/metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley.md
rights_note: Public domain source text; short quotation from public domain passage.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: Literal extraction is well supported by the passage. Motif labels are candidate-level
and should be reviewed against the wider Aesculapius episode and Roman cult context.
No comparison claims were added because the excerpt itself does not explicitly
compare traditions.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
Used only the supplied passage and metadata. Footnotes were not treated as narrative events except where they clarify names already present in the passage.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:roman-ovid-metamorphoses-books-8-15-riley-gutenberg__l13378-l13486
passage_sha256=05c72046abb382b83768bb23b6403793e46d3975b11b22fbbe8399e2e96f8912