metamorphosis

In mythology, a transformation from one shape to another, animate or inanimate, almost inevitably through the intervention of a god. The Roman poet Ovid composed his Metamorphoses on this theme.

In classical mythology, metamorphosis often occurs as a result of an erotic intrigue; as the god may change shape to approach a lover (Zeus becomes a swan, a bull, or a shower of gold), so the object of desire may also be transformed (Daphne becomes a laurel tree in order to escape from Apollo). In many cultures, the symbolic or totemic association of animals with gods may be represented in mythical narratives as a form of metamorphosis.