Pyramus and Thisbe: Dark & Death Imagery

The final lines of Pyramus and Thisbe aptly conclude the darkness and death imagery that Ovid had developed throughout the narrative. When looking back at the story, there are many different images which Ovid incorporates in the story. One of the earliest examples could be found in lines 78-80, which say "sub noctem dixere," which starts up the two lovers' relationship. They would constantly talk to each other through the wall until nighttime would fall upon them. It was also the time of day which they would plan to meet with each other. This brings up the question of whether or not the darkness should be seen as a friend or foe. But if you look at line 108 where Pyramus states "one night will destroy two lovers," it suggests that the nighttime was where death occurred. Even in lines 160 to 161, Thisbe had said "signa tene caedis pullosque et luctubus aptos semper habe fetus, gemini monimenta cruois." This also plays into the fact that darkness should correspond to death, and the dark fruit of the mulberry tree symbolizes the two lovers dying for their love. The final lines which say that the fruit will turn dark with age could be taken as a metaphor for death coming to purity and innocence, since the fruit of the tree starts off a pure white. Also, the fact that the two lovers are together in one urn show that in death they are brought together. This contradicts the idea that darkness is a foe to Pyramus and Thisbe, since the only way they were able to be together was through death. However, the final lines do fit appropriately with the story's darkness and death imagery for the fact that it can connect to the very beginning of the story.

Pyramus and Thisbe: Pyramus's Suicide

In lines 118-127, Ovid gives the reader a graphic description of what Pyramus did to kill himself after he had thought that his love, Thisbe, had died. This description was not without a purpose. One the easier things that can be identified from his death is from the line "Arborei fetus adspergine caedis in atram vertuntur faciem, madefactaque sanguine radix purpureo tingit pendentia mora colore (lines 125-127)." The fact that Pyramus's blood had turned the pure white berries of the tree into a purple color may reflect on the dark future of the lovers. When it was white, the two lovers were still alive and had high hopes of their future blooming into something bright. They were innocent kids. However, once tragedy struck, death had afflicted both of them through misunderstandings and their innocence faded away just as the white on the berries.
The graphic death could also show how desperate Pyramus was to join his love in death and desperation to punish himself for allowing Thisbe to die so brutally by a lion. Ovid's goal to understand the significance of Pyramus's death was shown by the detail of his suicide.

Limerick (Lines 105-127)

There once was a man named Pyramus,
whose guilt for his love was enormous,
in death they would join,
so he stabbed his groin,
his mistake was to be famous.

Pyramus and Thisbe: Figures of Speech

One of the figures of speech shown in Pyramus and Thisbe could be found on line 122, which says "non aliter quam cum vitiato fistula plumbo." This line would be seen as a simile, due to the translation of the line bring up the word "as," which usually signals that a comparison will be coming up. Another figure of speech in the story would be found in the lines 110 to 112, where Pyramus speaks to a non-present Thisbe about how guilty he is for her "death." His whole conversation with her would be known as an apostrophe, because of the fact that Thisbe is not there to hear Pyramus, yet he still addresses her throughout his dialogue due to his emotional distress.
Lastly, you would be able to find a synecdoche on line 119 from the word "ferrum," which would refer to Pyramus's sword or weapon. A synecdoche takes the characteristic of an object, in this case what a sword is made of, to name the object itself. Therefore, the iron would mean sword.