Names In Ovid's Metamorphōsēs

Ovid, throughout his work Metamorphōsēs, uses the placement of his character’s names to show the nature of their relationship and where each of them is situated in contrast to the other. In Pyramus and Thisbe, the word order of their names clues the readers in on how they stand with each other, both in the relationship and positional sense. Saepe ubi cōnstiterant hinc Thisbē Pyramus illinc (often when Thisbe had stood on one side Pyramus had stood on the other (71)) Ovid uses this placement of the names to show that when the two lovers are separated by the wall, they are still with each other. They are with each other in the way that they can communicate through the crack in the wall, and how their relationship is at it’s strongest even when they can only hear each other’s voices. It also supplies a sense of hope that the lovers will be able to be together in the future. When Thisbe sees the dying Pyramus she exclaims, Pyrame respondē tua tē cārissima Thisbē
By killing himself, Pyramus had further separated himself from Thisbe. They can not be together because at this moment Thisbe is still alive and has not yet joined him in death. After Pyramus has died, Thisbe states that the only thing that would be able to take her lover away from her is death, quīque ā mē morte revellī heu solā poterās, poteis nec morte revellī (and you are only able to be removed from me by death, nor will you be able to be removed from me by death (152-53)) Though their names are not mentioned, quī (you (152)) and mē (me (152)) are used instead, giving off the same meaning. The pronouns standing in for their names are next to each other, which foreshadows that they will be united again, even if it’s in death. The movement and placement of the names of Pyramus and Thisbe explore their relationship in both ways, where they are in contrast with each other, and if they can be boned together in