What is the Myth that had Shakespeare inspired to write Romeo and Juliet?

Question

In my last question, I mentioned a love story that Shakespeare based his Romeo and Juliet story on. I said I tried and failed to find their names. The following is what I know of this story.

They were neighbors that fell in love. Their family band them from getting married. They spoke with each other though a crack/hole in the fence/wall and planed to meet up. Greek Romeo arrived second to see blood on Greek Juliet's veil and a lion over it. He killed himself, wishing to be with her in Death or something. Greek Juliet came back, saw Greek Romeo and killed herself with the same sword. I believe they were in the same grave together.

What is this Myth in more deatail?

Answer 1

The story is that of Pyramus and Thisbe, from Ovid's Metamorphoses. You have already covered almost everything he tells us in your question, but there are a couple of extra details: They were living in Babylon; they were meeting under a mulberry tree, and it's fruit took colour from Pyramus' blood (the transformation that makes it fit in the Metamorphoses), and their ashes are kept in the same urn.

The story was retold several times; Shakespeare himself used it as the play that the "rude mechanicals" enacted in A Midsummer Night's Dream. It was also used by Chaucer and Boccaccio. If you want to read Ovid's account, Wikisource has several translations that are in public domain.