Ovid begins by invoking the gods to help him sing of events from the beginning of time to the modern day. In the beginning is chaos, but a god intervenes and establishes order, then he creates humans.

There are four ages of humankind: gold, silver, bronze, and iron. With each age comes increasing violence and evil. One man, Lycaon, tricks the gods, and as a result the god Jupiter decides to punish humankind with a great flood.

Jupiter and the gods prepare the great flood, which covers and destroys everything on the earth. The few humans and animals left are stuck starving on the peaks of mountains.