Transformations occur uniformly across a majority of cultures and mythologies and are used for a variety of purposes. Whether the gods change themselves to mingle with mortals, or change the mortals to reflect true nature, the act of transmogrification tends to hold great symbolic significance. In Greek mythology, the shapes that the gods shift into and those that mortals are condemned to usually reflect the motive or sin of the subject being transformed. When the gods transform themselves, it is often to fulfill a particular task or desire: in some cases, the god changes shape to seduce, while in others, he changes to deceive. On the other hand, when the gods transform mortals, it is either in honor of that mortal’s good deeds, or in retribution for that mortal’s sins. The shape of transformation in Greek mythology reflects, in varied ways, the Greek values that the subject exhibits or shuns.

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