Callisto in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Callisto

11 passages from 6 ancient authors that tell of Callisto, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Callisto was a nymph, daughter of Lycaon, King of Arcadia. She was transformed into a bear and turned into a constellation. She was one of Artemis hun... For the story in one place, read our article on Callisto.

Hesiod (1)

Hesiod, Fragments 8.1–5AstronomyThe Astronomy, a poem attributed to Hesiod, is cited for the stars and constellations. The fragments name the Pleiades and the Hyades, the Great Bear and Callisto, Boötes and Orion.

Apollodorus (1)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 3.8.1–2Lycaon and his sons; Callisto and the birth of ArcasThe account returns to Pelasgus and his son Lycaon, whose fifty impious sons serve Zeus a child's flesh; Zeus overturns the table at Trapezus and blasts them, sparing only Nyctimus. In Nyctimus's reign comes the flood of Deucalion's day. Zeus seduces Callisto, a companion of Artemis, and she is turned into a bear and shot; her son Arcas is raised by Maia, and she becomes the constellation of the Bear.

Euripides (1)

Euripides, Helen 306–385Second episode: the Chorus tells Helen to ask Theonoe about MenelausThe Chorus Leader tells Helen that the stranger may not have told the whole truth, and advises her to go in and ask Theonoe whether her husband is alive. Helen goes, swearing by the Eurotas that she will kill herself if he is dead, and the Chorus bids her take a brighter view. Left alone, Helen laments Troy's ruin and compares herself with Callisto and the daughter of Merops.

Ovid (1)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 2.401–526Callisto and ZeusZeus (Jupiter), having repaired the harm done by the fire, sees Callisto, a nymph of Arcadia who follows Artemis (Diana), and takes her by force, disguised as Artemis. When Artemis discovers her pregnancy at the bath, she drives her out, and Callisto bears a son, Arcas, and is turned into a bear by Hera (Juno). Years later Arcas meets his mother in the woods and is about to kill her with his spear when Zeus sets them both among the stars. Hera, furious, begs the sea gods not to let the Bear sink into the ocean.

Pausanias (6)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 8.3.1–7Arcadia: the sons of Lycaon and CallistoPausanias lists the sons of Lycaon and the Arcadian cities named after them, among them Pallantium, Oresthasium, Phigalia, Trapezus, Helisson, Orchomenus, Maenalus, Tegea and Mantinea. Oenotrus, the youngest, led the first Greek colonising expedition to Italy, where the country was named Oenotria. Lycaon also had a daughter, Callisto, who was loved by Zeus and turned into a bear by Hera and shot by Artemis, and whom Zeus then set among the stars as the Great Bear. The Arcadians point out her grave.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 10.31.1–12Delphi: Polygnotus' painting of the underworld (4): Ajax, Meleager, Memnon, Penthesilea, Sisyphus and TantalusPausanias completes the underworld painting with the dicing group of Ajax, Palamedes and Thersites, Ulysses' enemies, and Meleager, with the rival accounts of his death. He describes Hector, Memnon with the birds called Memnonides, Sarpedon, Paris and Penthesilea, then the uninitiated carrying water in broken pitchers, Callisto, Nomia, Pero, Sisyphus and Tantalus.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 1.25.1–8Athens Acropolis: statues of Pericles and Anacreon; the Lamian War and the tyrantsStatues on the Acropolis include Xanthippus, Pericles and Anacreon, Io and Callisto, and the small groups dedicated by Attalus showing the Giants, Amazons, Marathon and the Gauls. Pausanias then recounts the aftermath of Chaeronea and the Lamian War under Leosthenes, the Macedonian garrisons, Cassander’s tyrants Demetrius of Phalerum and Lachares, and Demetrius son of Antigonus fortifying the Museum hill.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 8.4.1–10Arcadia: Arcas and the early kings, and AugePausanias tells how Arcas, son of Callisto, succeeded Nyctimus, introduced corn, bread-making and weaving, and gave Arcadia its name. His sons Azas, Aphidas and Elatus divided the country, and later kings include Clitor, Aepytus, who was killed by a seps, and Aleus, who built the old sanctuary of Athena Alea at Tegea. Aleus' daughter Auge had a child by Hercules, was cast adrift in a chest and married Teuthras, with her tomb at Pergamus. Aleus' son Lycurgus murdered Areithous and outlived his sons Ancaeus and Epochus.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 8.35.1–10Megalopolis: roads to Messenia and Lacedaemon and the ruined towns of the interiorPausanias describes the road from Megalopolis to Carnasium in Messenia, the Hermaeum 'at the Mistress' on the border, and the road to Lacedaemon, with a remark on the disputed town of Belemina. He then lists the roads into the interior and the ruined towns founded by the sons of Lycaon: Charisiae, Tricoloni with its sanctuary of Poseidon, Zoetia, Paroria, Thyraeum, Hypsus and Phalanthus. He also mentions the grave of Callisto with its sanctuary of Artemis Calliste, and the plain of Polus and Schoenus, which he links to the race-courses of Atalanta.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 10.9.1–12Delphi: the sacred close and the offerings of the Corcyraeans, Tegeans and LacedaemoniansPausanias begins the tour of the sacred close of Apollo at Delphi, starting with the statue of the athlete Phaylus and the bronze bull of the Corcyraeans. He lists the offerings of the Tegeans and the Lacedaemonians, with their sculptors, among them the group around Lysander and the commanders of Aegospotami. He adds the Athenian view that they were betrayed at Aegospotami, and the bronze horse dedicated by the Argives after the fight for Thyrea.

Nonnus of Panopolis (1)

Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 8.0–121Book 8: Semele's pregnancy; Ares threatens to leave heavenSemele grows heavy with child and is carried off by every strain of pipes and cymbals in the hills. Envy, jealous of the unborn Dionysos, stirs up Ares, who complains of Zeus's loves and says he will leave Olympos for Thrace. Hera, still angry, meets Deceit near Mount Dicte.