Actaeon in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Actaeon

17 passages from 7 ancient authors that tell of Actaeon, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Actaeon was a famous hero in Greek mythology. He was the son of Aristaeus, a herdsman, and Autonoe, and resided in the region of Boeotia. He was the p... For the story in one place, read our article on Actaeon.

Apollodorus (1)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 3.4.1–4Cadmus and the founding of ThebesAfter the death of Telephassa, Cadmus is told at Delphi to follow a cow and found a city where it lies down. He kills the dragon of Ares, sows its teeth to raise the Spartoi, serves Ares for a year, and marries Harmonia. Their daughters Autonoe, Ino, Semele and Agave are named; Semele is destroyed when she asks to see Zeus in his glory, Dionysus is born from Zeus's thigh, and Ino and Athamas rear him and are driven mad. The section ends with Actaeon, torn apart by his own dogs after seeing Artemis bathing.

Euripides (1)

Euripides, Bacchae 266–342First episode: Teiresias and Kadmos defend DionysusTeiresias argues that Dionysus is a great god who gave men the drink of the grape as Demeter gave them bread, and that he also gives prophecy and war-panic. He urges Pentheus to receive the god. Kadmos begs his grandson to honor Dionysus, even if only so that Semele may seem to have borne a god, and recalls the fate of Actaeon.

Callimachus (1)

Callimachus, Hymns 5.1–142Hymn to Athena: the Bath of Pallas and TeiresiasThe women of Argos are summoned to the Bath of Pallas and told to bring no perfume or mirror, only plain olive oil, as Athena herself used. The poet tells how Teiresias, son of Everes, unwittingly saw Athena bathing with his mother Chariclo at the Fountain of the Horse on Helicon and was blinded. Athena tells Chariclo that this is the law of Cronus, foretells the fate of Actaeon, and promises to make Teiresias a seer who knows the birds, has a staff to guide him and keeps his understanding among the dead. The hymn closes with greetings as the goddess arrives and a prayer for Argos.

Diodorus Siculus (1)

Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 4.81.1–4.85.7Aristaeus, Eryx, Daphnis and OrionThe historian tells of Aristaeus, son of Apollo and Cyrene, who after the death of Acteon goes to Ceos and helps the Greeks during a plague, and who is honoured as a god in Sicily. He continues with Eryx, son of Aphrodite, with the shepherd Daphnis in the Heraean mountains, and with the giant hunter Orion, whose works in Sicily, at Peloris and elsewhere, are described.

Ovid (1)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 3.138–250ActaeonCadmus' grandson Actaeon is out hunting with his hounds when he comes by chance on Artemis (Diana) bathing with her nymphs in a valley. The goddess, angry, splashes him with water, and he grows antlers and is turned into a stag. His own hounds do not know him and tear him to pieces, and people disagree whether the goddess was just.

Pausanias (3)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 9.2.1–7Plataea: the tomb of Mardonius, the graves of the Persian war and the temple of HeraPausanias describes the ruins of Hysiae and Erythrae on Mount Cithaeron and the supposed tomb of Mardonius, and the spring and rock at which Actaeon is said to have looked on Artemis. He discusses the places linked to Pentheus and Oedipus on Cithaeron. At Plataea he describes the graves of the Greeks who fought the Medes, the altar of Zeus of Freedom and the Eleutheria games, the trophy and the shrine of the heroine Plataea. He ends with the temple of Hera, with its Praxitelean images of Rhea and Hera Full-grown and the seated Bride by Callimachus.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 9.38.1–10Orchomenus: the sanctuary of the Graces, the treasury of Minyas, Hesiod's bones and ActaeonPausanias describes the oldest sanctuary at Orchomenus, that of the Graces, with its sacred natural stones, and the circular treasury of Minyas. He gives the graves of Minyas and Hesiod, and how a crow showed the envoys where the bones of Hesiod lay at Naupactus. He tells how the Orchomenians bound a bronze spectre of Actaeon to a rock on the Delphic god's advice. He also describes the temple of Hercules, the river Melas and the Cephisian Lake, and the abandonment of Aspledon for lack of water.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 10.30.1–9Delphi: Polygnotus' painting of the underworld (3): the daughters of Pandareos, Phocus, Orpheus and ThamyrisPausanias continues the underworld painting with the daughters of Pandareos, Antilochus, Agamemnon, Protesilaus, Achilles and Patroclus, and Phocus giving a signet to Iaseus. He describes Maera, Actaeon with his mother and hound, and Orpheus seated in the grove of Proserpine beside the willows and Promedon. He ends with Schedius, Pelias, the blind Thamyris with his broken lyre and Marsyas teaching Olympus to play the flute.

Nonnus of Panopolis (9)

Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 5.409–532Book 5: Actaion's ghost appears to his fatherActaion's ghost appears to Aristaios in a dream in the shape of a stag and tells how he came to his death. He asks his father not to punish the dogs, and to bury him with a carved likeness on his tomb.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 5.280–408Book 5: Actaion among his dogsAutonoe and Aristaios have a son, Actaion, a hunter who spies on Artemis bathing. The goddess turns him into a stag, and his own dogs tear him to pieces while he keeps his human mind and laments. Autonoe searches the hills and does not know his remains.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 37.103–235Book 37: Funeral games: the prizes and the chariot-race entrantsDionysos sets out the prizes for a chariot race in honour of Opheltes and encourages the competitors, who include Erechtheus, Actaion, Scelmis, Phaunos and Achates. Aristaios advises his son Actaion on how to drive, and lots are drawn for places.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 37.236–421Book 37: The chariot race: Erechtheus passes Scelmis; Actaion upsets PhaunosThe race begins, and Scelmis in his sea-horse chariot leads at first. Erechtheus, praying to Athena, overtakes him on the last lap. Actaion upsets Phaunos' chariot by a trick, and Achates taunts Phaunos as he catches up.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 44.253–318Book 44: The Furies and Dionysos drive the Theban women to the mountainPersephone sends a Fury who sprinkles water of Styx and Cocytos over Agaue's rooms and buries the knife of Procne under a fir tree on Cithaeron, smearing it with Gorgon's blood. Dionysos, wearing a bull's head, enters the palace and drives the women mad. He calls to Autonoe with a false tale that her son Actaeon lives and is the lover of Artemis, urging her to run to the mountains.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 46.265–369Book 46: Agaue's lament; Dionysos leaves Thebes for AthensDionysos restores Agaue's senses, and she mourns over Pentheus's head, cursing her sanity and calling herself a child-murderer. Pentheus is buried, and Dionysos gives the mourners a drink of forgetfulness and sends Cadmos and Harmonia wandering west towards their fate as stone snakes. He then goes in procession to Athens.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 13.1–82Book 13: Iris summons Dionysos to the Indian warZeus sends Iris to Rheia to tell Dionysos that he must drive out Deriades and the Indians and teach all nations the rites of the vine. She reminds him that Hermes, Apollo and Zeus himself had to labour for heaven. Pyrrhichos is sent to gather the host, and the poet begins the catalogue with the Boeotians led by Actaion.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 37.422–519Book 37: The chariot race ends; the boxing beginsPhaunos wrecks Achates' wheel and passes him, and Erechtheus wins the race, followed by Scelmis, Actaion, Phaunos and Achates. Dionysos then puts up prizes for boxing, and Melisseus and Eurymedon prepare to fight.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 32.221–299Book 32: Morrheus routs the Bacchic army; the leaders fleeMorrheus and Deriades cut down many more, and the Bacchic army breaks and flees into the hills, caves and rivers. Only Aiacos stays fighting, while the Nymphs and Bassarids weep for their absent god.