Metamorphoses

by Ovid

TIRESIAS While these events had taken place on earth By will of Fate and twice-born Bacchus safe Within his crib, it came about that Jove, Wine in his veins, grew cheerful and dismissed Affairs of state to joke awhile with Juno: “And I insist you women have more joy In making love than men; we do the work, While you have all the fun.” But she denied it, So they agreed to settle their dispute By calling wise Tiresias to court To be their judge—he who knew well enough The two extremes of Venus’ subtle arts: One day while walking through a green-grown wood He thrust his stick between two monstrously Large and love-joined serpents (and then, O mir- Acle!) was changed into a woman, and as A woman lived for seven autumns. Then, As he came to the eighth autumn he saw The same two creatures in the act of love, And stopped to say, “If miracles are done To those who strike at you and sex is changed, I strike again—” And so he did; at once His gender shifted to his sex at birth.