Final answer:
The tale of 'Iphis and Ianthe' in Ovid's Metamorphoses provides examples of love through Iphis's initial impossible love for Ianthe and the eventual transformative solution that allows their love to be socially acceptable.
Step-by-step explanation:
The story of Iphis and Ianthe, from Ovid's Metamorphoses, showcases transformation and love. Two specific examples of love in the story include the love Iphis feels towards Ianthe, which is initially challenged by her being a woman, and subsequently the love that is allowed to prosper after Iphis's transformation into a man by the goddess Isis. This transformation is required so their love could be recognized by Roman societal standards as natural and permissible.
In the text, Ovid delicately handles gender and identity, distinguishing Iphis's love for Ianthe as profound, describing it as 'a girl on fire for a girl' (lines 714-718). The absence of gender normatives in depicting Iphis's feelings allows for broad interpretation, making the text exceptionally complex and rich for discussions on gender roles and same-sex relationships in ancient times.
However, the resolution to this love story comes by way of a divine act which conforms to the societal expectations of the time by transforming Iphis into a male, thus making the union acceptable in the eyes of the society and the readership of that era. Consequently, this transition addresses Roman fears about female desire and female same-sex relationships, without challenging the traditional gender and sexual norms of the time.