The Myth of Actaeon, Ovid and Galaktion Tabidze

Abstract

Antique and world literature is familiar with the myth of Actaeon who unwittingly stumbled upon the goddess Diana enjoying a bath in the spring. The goddess punished Actaeon and transformed him into a deer and made his hounds maul him to death. This myth is given at length within Roman poet Ovid’s “Metamorphoses”. Later, the poet who was expelled from Rome recollected the myth and associated it with his tragedy. 

Among Georgian poets Galaktion Tabidze was the one who referred this myth in his poem. Supposedly, even the poet implies Ovid when he mentions Actaeon.