Episode 13: The Twins

“The Twins” in inspired by Ovid’s Metamorphoses. This poem tells the story of a boy and his twin sister, who dies prematurely. The boy cannot believe that she is dead, as he sees her in his reflection in the water of a river. Both of them are turned to spring flowers by the gods, the snowdrop and the snowflake. This poem also reveals some striking affinities between Giovanni Pascoli’s poetry and some works by British literary critic and writer Walter Pater.

In this episode, Elena Borelli discusses “The Twins” with Elisa Bizzotto. The poem starts at minute 21.26.

You can also enjoy an extract from Benjamin Britten’s Six Metamorphoses After Ovid (1951), played by Italian oboist Paolo Brunello.

From Giovanni Pascoli, Convivial Poems. Translated by Elena Borelli & James Ackhurst. New York: Italica Press, 2022. Copyright 2022 by Elena Borelli & James Ackhurst. Used by permission of Italica Press.