Ixion in Heaven

After a storm drives the disgraced King Ixion to seek shelter, he launches into a self-justifying account of his ruin—debt, bad luck, social judgment, and a disastrous marriage—only to find himself carried by Mercury into the heavens and into a world that mirrors his own with uncanny precision. Olympus gleams like a fashionable court, but beneath its luxury and wit lie vanity, boredom, rivalry, and political intrigue. As Ixion moves from wonder to worldly confidence, he trades barbed jokes with Mercury, impresses Apollo, Minerva, and the others, and learns that even immortals are governed by taste, status, and desire. At a glittering dinner party and later a tense banquet, the gods spar over poetry, criticism, and divine etiquette while Ixion becomes the center of attention. Jupiter's easy camaraderie masks a foul temper, Venus adds seductive brilliance, and Juno's fascination with the mortal guest turns dangerous when Cupid exposes Ixion's forbidden love for her. A peacock's tail, a teasing secret, a charged silence, and a jealous outburst all build to a comic scandal that leaves Olympus amused, unsettled, and exposed. This sharp mythological satire skewers both celestial pretension and human ambition with wit, elegance, and playful irony. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.