Alpheus and Arethusa by: Ovid

This story is similar to Daphne’s. Both women love their independence but then have it stolen by a deity. The lesson of these many similar myths seems to be that it is unfortunate to be loved by a god, and it is even worse if you reject that love. Many of the women of these stories have no freedom, and are seen as mere objects of love.The moral lesson we can get from the story is that never run from someone that loves you because you might be together in the end.Arethusa is “rewarded” by becoming a famous spring, but she still cannot escape her divine pursuer, so the ending of the story feels more like a punishment and less like a “lovers’ tale.”

The story of Alpheus and Arethusa appears to be a variation on the plot of Daphne and Apollo. The gods do sometimes look over and care for humans, even when they do so against other gods. The gods do play favorites.This story is an example of female independence and power, for she effectively escapes from the river god with the help of a goddess.However,she becomes water, just the thing over which he seems to have control.Therefore, natural imagery defines the tale.By connecting Alpheus to spring water, the story effectively places her in the reader's physical world.Spring water is invoked to remind readers of the tale and the moral it holds.

Orpheus and Eurydice by: Apollonius

  Love is a powerful motivator.It can make people do irrationally amazing things.We find instances of both amazing and stupid things done in the name of love.Love is stronger than death, as other myths have shown, but here music and beauty can be stronger than death as well. Orpheus being forbidden to look back and command from a god to a mortal. Whenever these rules are mentioned in myths, it always means that they will be broken, and then the mortal punished for their disobedience

 The tragic myth of Orpheus and Eurydice concerns love and temptation. Orpheus overcomes many obstacles to win his love back, but in his desire he cannot resist the temptation of looking back to make sure she is there. Like Psyche's need to see Cupid, Orpheus's need to see Eurydice marks a lack of trust or satisfaction in his situation. This myth emphasizes trust and faith in love, knowing that one’s beloved is present and not needing to prove it.However, Orpheus undoubtedly causes his own demise when he turns around to look at Eurydice.Therefore,the story highlights mankind's freewill. While fate clearly plays a strong role in most Greek myths, in this case it is unquestionably Orpheus's doubting which causes Eurydice' tragic farewell.

 The story is related to the story in the bible.In the Book of Genesis, when God decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, two cities drowned in sins, he ordered a good man, Lot, to take his family and leave the area. God told them to head for the mountains without looking back the city being destroyed. While they were leaving the city, Lot's wife couldn't resist and turned around to see the burning cities. She was immediately transformed into a pillar of salt! This may be inferred as a direct and terrifying consequence of disobedience towards the gods.