Mercury tells the story of Pan (whose flutes represent water) and Syrinx, another river daughter.

In the second book, Ovid focuses on fire and air. He writes about the Palace of the Sun, where both air and fire are represented. The story of Phaethon is also associated with fire and air, and the sisters of Phaethon turn into trees which weep amber which is solid fire. Cygnus, Phaethon's cousin, becomes a swan, which is a bird of the air that lives in water, and fears fire. In the story of Apollo falling in love with Coronis, the raven betrays her and turns black when Apollo kills him (an air creature). The crow also betrays Erichthonius, who is born of the earth. The god of medicine, Asclepius, is born from fire. Ovid returns to earth and water in this second book when Aglauros turns to stone (earth) for feeling envy, which...
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