01 · The stories
Myths & defining acts
Is wooed by Vertumnus, who takes many disguises before appearing as an old woman and then in his own form (Ovid, Metamorphoses 14.623–771).
02 · Sacred lineage
Family & relations
In Ovid's Metamorphoses, Pomona is courted by many and in the end marries Vertumnus (14.623–771).
Greek literary genealogies and Roman cult identities are not interchangeable. Explore the family tree and its traditions.
03 · Places of devotion
Abode & sacred sites
Her orchard, in Ovid's story (Metamorphoses 14.623–771).
04 · Two traditions
Greek & Roman perspectives
The Greek perspective
No Greek counterpart is named in the sources cited here.
The Roman perspective
Ovid's Pomona is a nymph of the orchard in Latium who cares for her trees and is wooed by Vertumnus (Metamorphoses 14.623–771).
05 · Extensive analysis
A closer reading
Pomona's best-known story is told by Ovid in the Metamorphoses: she devotes herself to her orchard and is won by Vertumnus after he appears in many disguises.
06 · Primary sources
What the sources say
These are the main ancient passages behind this entry, with what each one actually says.
- Ovid, Metamorphoses book 14, lines 623–771
Pomona tends her orchard and is wooed by Vertumnus, who takes many shapes before appearing in his own form.
Read the passage
07 · Story & deeper insight
Pomona and Vertumnus in the orchard
Pomona devotes herself to fruit trees, tending, pruning and protecting her orchard. Vertumnus approaches in a succession of disguises before appearing as an old woman who argues for marriage. He then reveals his own youthful form. In Ovid's ending Pomona responds to him, but the persuasion has depended on access gained through concealment.
The orchard gives the tale a distinctive setting. Pomona values skilled cultivation rather than hunting or wandering; her boundaries protect both work and independence. Vertumnus's changing appearances suit a deity associated with turning and change, while the invitation to marry is framed through plants that support one another.
Pomona has no direct Greek counterpart. The story can be read as a celebration of fruitful partnership, but it also invites scrutiny of persuasion that conceals the persuader's identity. Both aspects contribute to a fuller understanding than a simple goddess-of-fruit label.