The Library of Greek Mythology (Oxford World's Classics)

by Apollodorus

  Aphrodite (Venus). Birth, 29; incites love in Cleio, 30, in Dawn, 32; afflicts the Lemnian women, 50; transfers Boutes to Sicily, 55; mother of Harmonia, 101; gives golden apples to suitor of Atalante, 117; love for Anchises, 123, for Adonis, 30, 131–2; punishes daughters of Cinyras, 131; selected by Paris in judgement of goddesses, 146; saves him from Menelaos, but is wounded by Diomedes, 207.

  Apollo. Birth, and arrival at Delphi, 31–2; kills Tityos and Marsyas, 32, the Giant Ephialtes, 34, the Cyclopes, 119; recovers his stolen cattle from the infant Hermes, and is given a lyre, 118; Zeus assumes his form, 115.

  Grants divinatory powers to Melampous, 46, to Cassandra, 125; serves and helps Admetos, 48, 120; helps Argonauts, 55–6; arms Heracles, 72, meets him after he has caught the Cerynitian hind, 75, fights him for the tripod at Delphi, 85; fortifies Troy for Laomedon, but sends plague when denied fee, 79; shoots sons of Niobe, 105; his part in death of Achilles, 151–4, Neoptolemos seeks reparation, 160.

  Loves Hyacinthos, 30, 119, Coronis, mother of Asclepios, 119; rejected by Marpessa, 39, Cassandra, 125; his children, Linos and the Corybantes, 30, Doros, Laodocos, Polypoites, 39, Miletos, 97, Eleuther, 117, Asclepios, 119, Troilos, 125, Anios, 148, Tenes, 150, Mopsos, 158.

  Oracles of, 112, 114, 150; sends sign before fall of Troy, 157; sacrifices to, 149, 151; sanctuary of, 90; Manto dedicated to, 112; Zeus assumes his form, 115.

  Ares (Mars). Birth, 29; slept with Dawn, 32; enclosed in jar by Aloads, 38; conflict with Heracles over son Cycnos, 82, 90; spring and dragon of, at Thebes, and death of dragon at hand of Cadmos, 100; Menoitios sacrifices himself to, 110; tried on the Areiopagos for murder, 131; gave arms and horses to Oinomaos, 144.

  Father of Oxylos, 39, sons by Demonice, 39, Meleager, Dryas, 40, Ascalaphos and Ialmenos, 50, 121, Diomedes of Thrace, 78, Cycnos, 82, 90, Harmonia, 101, Phlegyas, 104, Parthenopaios, 117, Alcippe, 130, Tereus, 132, Penthesileia, 154.

  Grove of, at Colchis, 43; belt of, owned by queen of Amazons, 78.

  Artemis (Diana). Birth, 31; shoots Tityos, 32; kills Orion, 32, a Giant, 35, the daughters of Niobe, 105, Callisto, 115; causes death of the Aloads, 38, Actaion, 102, Adonis, 131, Broteas, 143; angry with Oineus, and sends the Calydonian boar, 40, with Admetos, 48, with Heracles for catching hind sacred to her, 74–5, with Agamemnon, and causes sacrifice of his daughter Iphigeneia, but rescues her, 150; Atreus fails to honour vow to, 145, 150; makes Phylonoe immortal, 120.

  Athene (Athenaia or Athenaie, contracted to Athene, or to Athena in fourth century Attic and later usage; at Rome identfied with Minerva). Birth, 31; discards flute, 32; and Giants, 34–5, 87; reared by Triton, and conflict with Pallas, 123–4; wins contest with Poseidon for Athens, 140; amongst the goddesses judged by Paris, 146.

  Advises on the Argo, 49, on the ship of Danaos, 60; helps Perseus, 65–7; gifts and aid to Heracles, 72, 77, 78; returns apples of the Hesperides, 83; advises Cadmos, and confers kingdom on him, 100; gives Gorgon’s blood to Asclepios, 119, dragon’s teeth to Aietes, 53; involvement with the birth and rearing of Erichthonios, 132; purifies the Danaids, 62; blinds Teiresias, but grants him divinatory powers, 110; plans to make Tydeus immortal, but is deterred, 111; drives Aias mad, 155; angry with Locrian Aias and Greeks after her statue is defiled, asks Zeus to send storm, 158–9, propitiated by Locrians, 162.

  Images of, 60, 158; sanctuary of, 88, 116, 132, 133; priesthood of, 134; wooden horse dedicated to, 156.

  Demeter (Ceres). Swallowed by her father Cronos, 28; seeks for her daughter Persephone, received at Eleusis, 33, confers wheat, 33, 133; punishes Ascalaphos, 33, 84; bears horse Areion to Poseidon, 111; Iasion wants to violate her, 122–3; statue of her in Egypt as Isis, 60.

  Dionysos. Birth and earlier life, 101–3; punishes Lycourgos, 102, Pentheus, 103, for rejecting him; transforms pirates, 103; drives mad the women of Argos, 47, daughters of Proitos, 63; gives vine to Oineus, 40, wine to Icarios in Attica, 133; grants powers to daughters of Anios, 148; father of Deianeira, 40, love for Ariadne and children by her, 140; brings mother up from Hades and ascends to heaven, 103.

  Hephaistos (Vulcan). Birth, 30; thrown from heaven, 31; and birth of Athene, 31; his forge on Lemnos, 32; kills a Giant, 34; nails Prometheus to Caucasos, 36; gives bronze-footed bulls to Aietes, 53, Talos to Minos, 56, a breastplate to Heracles, 72; makes castanets used by Heracles, 77, necklace for Harmonia, 101, armour for Achilles, 154; builds underground house for Oinopion, 32; looks after cattle for Heracles, 81; purifies Pelops, 144; dries up Scamander, 154; tries to violate Athene and becomes father of Erichthonios, 132; father of Palaimon, 49, Periphetes, 138.

  Hera (Juno). Swallowed by her father Cronos, 28; marriage to Zeus, and their children, 29, given golden apples as wedding present, 81; suspended from Olympos, 31, 86; assaulted by Giant, 34; wins contest with Poseidon for Argos, 60; amongst the goddesses judged by Paris, 146; Thetis reared by, 128.

  Behaviour to women loved by Zeus and their children: pursues Leto, 31; tethers Io as cow, sends gadfly after her, 59, asks Curetes to abduct her child, 59; delays birth of Heracles, 68, sends serpents against him, 70, a storm, 31, 86, drives him mad, 72, hinders him by inciting Amazons, 79, and dispersing cattle, 81, finally reconciled with him, 91; deceives Semele, 101, drives Dionysos mad, 102, and Athamas and Ino for looking after him, 43, 101; causes death of Callisto, 115.

  Throws Orion’s wife into Hades, 32; acts against Pelias for failing to honour her, 45, 46; helps Argonauts past Clashing Rocks, 53, Wandering Rocks, 55; sends daughters of Proitos mad, 63; sends Sphinx against Thebes, 106; blinds Teiresias, 110; assaulted by Ixion, 142; sends storm against Paris and Helen, 147; makes Menelaos immortal, 164.

  Sacrifices to, 81; altar of, 57, 146; Ceux says his wife is Hera, 38.

  Hermes (Mercury). Birth and exploits as an infant, 117–18; kills Giant, 35; recovers Zeus’ tendons after they are removed by Typhon, 36; rescues Ares, 38; gives golden-fleeced ram to Nephele, 43; steals Io as cow and kills Argos, 59; purifies Danaids, 62; aids Perseus, 65–6; gives Heracles sword, 72, advises him in Hades, 84, sells him, 85; rapes Apemosyne, 98; gives moly to Odysseus, 167.

  Appointed herald to the gods, 118, sent to Deucalion, 37, takes infant Dionysos to Ino and Athamas, 102, sent to Atreus, 145, takes goddesses to be judged by Paris, 146, Helen to Egypt, 147, Prote-silaos up from Hades, 152.

  Father of Eurytos, 49, Abderos, 78, Cephalos, 131, Myrtilos, 144, Pan, 170.

  Poseidon (Neptune). Swallowed by Cronos, 28; given trident, and becomes ruler of the sea, 29; marriage and children, 33; fights Giant, 35; loses contest with Hera for Argos, 60, with Athene for Attica, 130; contends with Zeus for Thetis, 128; indicts Ares for murder, 131; fathers horse Areion by Demeter, 111.

  Makes shelter for Oinopion, 32; gives a chariot to Idas, 39, powers of transformation to Periclymenos, 45; blinds Phineus, 52; sends flood and monster against Ethiopia, 66; makes Pterelaos immortal, 68; hides away Centaurs, 75; sends bull from sea to Minos, 77, against Hippolytos, 142; fortifies Troy, but sends sea-monster when denied fee, 79; gives Peleus immortal horses, 129; rescues Eumolpos, destroys Erechtheus and house, 135; makes Caineus invulnerable, 142; kills Locrian Aias, 159; angry with Odysseus for blinding Polyphemos, 165, sends storm against him, and petrifies Phaeacian ship, 168, propitiated, 170.

  His children, Orion, 32, the Aloads, 38, by Tyro, 45, Phineus, 52, Belos and Agenor, 60, 96, Nauplios by Amymone, 61–2, Pegasos, 64, Chrysaor, 66, the Molionides, 87, by Atlantids, 117, Halirrhothios, killed by Ares, 130–1, Eumolpos, 135, Theseus, 136, Polyphemos, 165, others, 38, 50, 51, 68, 76, 80, 82, 86, 96, 110, 139; loves Pelops, gives him winged chariot, 144.

  Sacrifice to, 49; sanctuary of 72; cult of Poseidon Erechtheus, 134, Argo dedicated to, 57.

  Zeus (Jupiter). Birth, childhood, and ascent to power, 28; marriage to Hera, and children by her and others, 29–31; father of Dionysos by Semele, 101, of Hermes by Maia, 117; aids abduction of Persephone, 33; defeat of Giants, 34–5, of Typhon, 35–6; punishes Prometheus, 36, his release, 75, 8
3; separates Apollo and Idas, 39, Apollo and Heracles, 85, Athene and Poseidon, 130; places aegis between Pallas and Athene, 124; gives remedy to Athene, 111; adjudicates between Hermes and Apollo, 118; imposes servitude on Apollo, 119; contends with Poseidon for Thetis, 128; judges dispute between goddesses over Adonis, 131; causes oaths to be sworn by Styx, 29.

  Transforms Ceux and Alcyone, 38, vixen and dog, 70, Nysian nymphs, 102, Niobe, 105; destroys Salmoneus, 45, Capaneus, 110, Lycaon and sons, 115, Asclepios, 119, companions of Odysseus, 168, causes death of Actaion, 102; punishes Sisyphos, 44, Ixion, 142; sends great flood, 37; grants Endymion unending sleep, 38–9; incites Oineus to passion for own daughter, 42; angry with Argonauts for murder of Apsyrtos, 54–5; orders purification of Danaids, 62; saves Heracles, 87; grants long life to Sarpedon, 97; gives Harmonia to Cadmos, 101, sends them to Elysium, 103; gives prophetic powers to Teiresias, 110; opens chasm for Amphiaraos, 111; helps Callirrhoe, 113; determines posthumous fate of Dioscuri, 122; abduction of Ganymede, 79, 123; grants Minos vengeance on Athenians, 137; supports Atreus in claim to throne, 145; brings about the Trojan War, 146, reveals its duration, 149; has Helen sent to Egypt, 147; sends storm against Greeks, 159; made Aiolos controller of the winds, 166.

  Loves Niobe, 58, Io, 59, Danae, 65, Alcmene, 70, Europa, 77, Semele, 101, Antiope, 104, Callirrhoe, 113, Callisto, 115, Maia, 117, Leda, Nemesis, 120, Aegina, 126; his mortal children, Aethlios, 37, Aiacos, 126, Amphion, 104, 117, Areas, 115, Argos, 58, Asopos, 126, Atymnios, 97, Castor?, 44 cf. 120, Dardanos, 122, Epaphos, 59, Helen, 120, Hellen, 37, Heracles, 70, Iasion, 122, Lacedaimon, 118, Minos, Rhadamanthys, Sarpedon 96, Perseus, 65, Polydeuces, 120, Tityos, 31, Zethos, 104, 117.

  Altars to, 90, 98; sacrifices to, 43, 82; sanctuary of, 117.

  REFERENCES TO ANIMALS AND TRANSFORMATIONS

  Asses, companions of Odysseus turned into, 166.

  Bear, Callisto turned into, 115; Atalante, 116, Paris suckled by, 125; Achilles fed on the marrow of bears, 129.

  Bee, Periclymenos turns himself into, 45.

  Birds, Melampous, 46, Teiresias, 110, come to understand their language; Stymphalian, killed by Heracles, 77; women mourning Meleager turned into, 41 (meleagrides, guinea-fowl, in other sources), and Aisacos mourning his wife, 124 (a diver, in the Latin tradition).

  Bitch, Hecuba turned into, 158.

  Boar, Calydonian, sent by Artemis, 40–1, further references to the hunt for it, 86, 116, 127, image on Tydeus’ shield (which can be taken to be of Calydonian boar), 107; Erymanthian, caught by Heracles, 75–6; Adonis killed by a, 132; suitors of Alcestis to yoke a boar to a lion, 107.

  Bull, Arcadian, killed by Argos, 58; Europa abducted by Zeus as, 96; sent up to Minos by Poseidon, 97, mates with Pasiphae, fathering the Minotaur, 98; Cretan killed by Heracles, 77, identifiable with Europa’s or with that sent by Poseidon?, 77; Marathonian, identifiable with the previous, 77, killed Androgeos, 136, killed by Theseus, 139; bull sent against Hippolytos by Poseidon, 142; bronze-footed, yoked by Jason, 53–4; Talos a bull?, 56; Aison killed by drinking bull’s blood, 56; Heracles takes and eats a bullock, 82, 89; Acheloos takes form of, when fighting Heracles, 88; Dirce bound to, 105.

  Cattle, of Admetos, 120, of Aeneas, rustled by Achilles, 152, of Apollo, stolen by Hermes, 118, of Augeias, 76, of Electryon, stolen by sons of Pterlaos, 69, of Eurytos, 85, of Geryon, taken by Heracles, 80–1, of Hades, 80, 84, of Phylacos, gained by Melampous, 46–7, of the Sun, 34, 55, 168; Arcadian, rustled by the Dioscuri and Idas and Lynceus, 122; Theban tribute to Orchomenos, 71–2.

  Cow, Io turned into, 59; guides Cadmos to site of Thebes, 100, Ilos to site of Ilion, 123; three-coloured, owned by Minos, 99; wooden, made for Pasiphae, 98.

  Crow, turned from white to black by Apollo, 119.

  Deer, Artemis turns herself into to cause death of Aloads, 38; Actaion turned into, 102; killed by Agamemnon, 150; substituted for Iphigeneia at sacrifice, 150; Athamas hunts his son thinking him a deer, 101.

  Doe, Telephos suckled by, 88, 116.

  Dog, unapproachable, guarding cattle of Phylacos, 46; of Minos, fated to catch prey, 70, 134, turned to stone by Zeus, 70; Molossian, kills son of Licymnios, 87–8; named Maira, leads Erigone to her father’s body, 133; monstrous, Cerberos, 83–4, Orthos, 80; dogs of Actaion hunt their master, 102, catalogue of their names, 172.

  Dolphins, Dionysos transforms pirates into, 103.

  Dove, sent out by Argonauts to test passage between Clashing Rocks, S2–3.

  Dragon, Delphyne, a she-dragon, 36; see further under serpents.

  Eagle, eats liver of Prometheus, 36, shot by Heracles, 83; abducts Ganymede, 123; presages birth of Aias, hence his name, 127.

  Fox, symbol of Messenia, 94; Teumessian, see vixen.

  Gadfly, sent by Hera against Io as cow, 59, against cattle of Geryon, 81.

  Goat, Amaltheia, whose milk is given to infant Zeus, 28. (Not explicitly named here as a goat; this can also be the name of the nymph owning it, cf. 89 and note.)

  Goose, Nemesis turns herself into, hoping to avoid intercourse with Zeus, 120.

  Halcyon (a mythical bird), Alcyone turned into, 38.

  Hind, Cerynitian, golden-horned and sacred to Artemis, caught by Heracles, 74–5.

  Hoopoe, Tereus turned into, 134.

  Horses, immortal, given to Peleus by Poseidon, 129, lent by Achilles to Patroclos, 154; man-eating mares of Diomedes, kill Abderos, captured by Heracles, 77–8; winged horses of Zeus, 36; horses given by Ares to Oinomaos, 144, by Zeus (to Tros) and thence to Laomedon, 79; Lycourgos killed by, 152; of Rhesos, 153; Pegasos, 64, 66; Areion, offspring of Demeter and Poseidon, owned by Adrastos, 111; Wooden horse at Troy, 156–7.

  Hydra, Lernaean, killed by Heracles, 74, its poison, 90.

  Keux (a semi-mythical bird, translated as sea-swallow), Ceux turned into, 38.

  Kid, Dionysos turned into, 101–2.

  Lamb, golden, sent to Atreus by Artemis, 145, 150.

  Lion, of Cithairon, 71, of Nemea, killed by Heracles, 73; Periclymenos turns himself into, 45; Atalante and Melanion, 117, companions of Odysseus, turned into, 166; suitors of Alcestis to yoke with boar, 107; on shield of Adrastos, 107.

  Nightingale, Procne turned into, 133.

  Owl, Ascalaphos turned into, 82.

  Pigs, companions of Odysseus turned into, 166; Achilles fed on entrails of wild swine, 129.

  Quail, Asteria turns herself into, 31.

  Ram, with golden fleece, carries Phrixos and Helle through sky, 43, its fleece fetched by Jason, 49, 53–4.

  Seal, Psamathe turns herself into, 126.

  Sea-swallow, see Keux.

  Sea-monster, Andromeda exposed to, 66, killed by Perseus, 67; Hesione exposed to, killed by Heracles, 79.

  Snakes (including dragons, which are typically of serpent form), guarding oracle at Delphi, killed by Apollo, 31, guarding spring of Ares at Thebes, killed by Cadmos, 100, sowing of latter’s teeth, 53–4, 100; guarding apples of Hesperides, 81, 83; devastating Salamis, killed by Telamon, 127. Eurydice killed by, 30, the companions of Cadmos, 100, Opheltes (Archemoros), 109, the daughters of Cecrops, 132, the sons of Laocoon, 157, Orestes, 164; coils of, found in Admetos’ marriage chamber, 48, hold down Theseus and Peirithoos in Hades, 143. Periclymenos turns himself into, 45, Cadmos turned into, 103; mast and oars of pirate ship turned into by Dionysos, 130; Snakes confer divinatory powers on Melampous, 46, show Polyidos how to bring Glaucos back to life, 99–100; Teiresias changes sex on injuring copulating snakes, 110; portent of snake and sparrows at Aulis, 149; Cecrops half-serpent, 120; snake coiled round Erichthonios, 132; Triptolemos’, 33, Medea’s, 57, chariot of winged dragons; Talos uses jawbone of snake to make a saw, 138; symbol of Laconia, 34.

  Sow, of Crommyon, Phaia, killed by Theseus, 139; riddle of pregnant sow, 159.

  Sparrows, portent of snake and, at Aulis, 149.

  Swan, Zeus turns himself into, to have intercourse with Leda or Nemesis, 120.

  Toad, symbol of Argos, 94.

  Tortoise, Hermes u
ses its shell to make lyre, 118.

  Vixen, Teumessian, fated to catch its prey, petrified by Zeus, 70.

  Vultures, feed on heart of Tityos, 32; vulture tells Melampous how to cure Iphiclos, 47.

  Wolves, Athamas offered hospitality by, 44; Stymphalian birds flee from, 77; companions of Odysseus turned into, 166.

  Wood-worms, overheard by Melampous, 47.

  Other transformations: Teiresias, turned into opposite sex and back, 110, Caineus originally a woman but transformed into an invulnerable man by Poseidon, 142; nymphs who reared Dionysos turned into the constellation of the Hyades, 102, Callisto into the (Great) Bear, 115; Smyrna into a myrrh-tree, 131; Polydectes and friends turned to stone by Medusa’s head, 67, Niobe by Zeus, 105, Phaeacian ship by Poseidon, 168; snake in portent at Aulis petrified, 149; stones thrown by Deucalion and Pyrrha turn into men and women, 37; the children of Callirhoe turned into adults by Zeus, 113; Metis, 31, Nereus, 82, turn themselves into many different shapes, Thetis into fire, water, wild beast, 128–9; the gods flee to Egypt through fear of Typhon and turn themselves into animals, 35.

  Transformations of the gods: Demeter, 33, Apollo and Poseidon, 79, into human form; Hera into an Amazon, 79; Zeus into a shower of gold, to seduce Danae, 65, into Artemis or Apollo to seduce Callisto, 115, Poseidon into the River Enipeus to seduce Tyro, 45; Demeter into a Fury, 111.

  INDEX OF NAMES

  Content

  The Library provides the fullest inventory of mythological characters and genealogies to be found in any single ancient source; in view of this, it was considered desirable that the index should be as full as possible, even if many figures may be obscure or otherwise unrecorded. All personal names are included, except for those listed in the following five catalogues: