Bulfinch’s Mythology · Chapter
Latona and the Rustics explained
The chapter recounts the myth of Latona, who, while fleeing Juno's jealousy and carrying her infant twins Apollo and Diana, is denied water by Lycian rustics.
What happens
The chapter recounts the myth of Latona, who, while fleeing Juno's jealousy and carrying her infant twins Apollo and Diana, is denied water by Lycian rustics. In anger, she curses them, and they are transformed into frogs. The story is used to explain an allusion in Milton's sonnet and references Delos as the birthplace of the twins.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This excerpt marks the dramatic climax because it presents the emotional peak of Tristram’s brief reunion with…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Hospitality and Its Violation
The rustics refuse Latona water, violating the sacred duty of hospitality, leading to their transformation into frogs.
- Jealousy and Revenge
Juno's jealousy drives Latona's exile, and Latona's revenge turns the rustics into frogs.
Characters to notice
- Juno
Persecutes Latona out of jealousy, driving her from land to land.
- Phoebus Apollo
One of Latona's twin infants, later the sun god.
- Jupiter
Fastens Delos to the sea floor to provide a secure birthplace for Latona's children.
Key passages
“Why do you refuse me water? said she; water is free to all. Nature allows no one to claim as property the sunshine, the air, or the water.”
Latona argues that water, like air and sunlight, is a common resource that cannot be owned, and she only asks for her fair share.
Latona appeals to natural law and common rights.
“May they never quit that pool, but pass their lives there!”
Latona curses the rustics to remain forever in the pond, leading to their transformation into frogs.
The curse is a direct response to the rustics' inhospitality.
