Cephalus in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Cephalus

9 passages from 3 ancient authors that tell of Cephalus, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Cephalus was a figure in Greek mythology, son of the ruler of Phocis, Deion, and Diomede. He was married to Procris, daughter of the king of Athens Er... For the story in one place, read our article on Cephalus.

Apollodorus (2)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 3.15.1–3.16.2Erechtheus, Aegeus, Minos's war on Athens and the birth of TheseusPandion's sons divide his inheritance and Erechtheus becomes king; his daughters include Procris, killed accidentally by Cephalus, and Orithyia, carried off by Boreas. The section covers Cleopatra and Phineus, Eumolpus and the war with Erechtheus, who sacrifices his daughter, and Aegeus and his marriages. Minos, to avenge Androgeus, takes Megara through Scylla's treachery and imposes the tribute of youths and maidens for the Minotaur. It ends with the birth of Theseus to Aethra and his first two labours, where the surviving text of the Library breaks off.
Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 2.4.6–12Amphitryon, Alcmene and the youth of HeraclesElectryon's sons are killed in a cattle raid by the Taphians, and Amphitryon accidentally kills Electryon and takes refuge at Thebes, where he wins the Teleboan war with the help of Cephalus's dog. Zeus lies with Alcmene in Amphitryon's likeness and she bears Heracles and Iphicles; the infant Heracles strangles the serpents Hera sends. Heracles is taught by several masters, kills the lion of Cithaeron after fathering children by Thespius's fifty daughters, and defeats the Minyans of Erginus. Hera then drives him mad and he kills his children, and the Pythia at Delphi names him Heracles and sends him to serve Eurystheus.

Ovid (4)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 7.658–791Cephalus and ProcrisCephalus tells how he married Procris, and how Eos (Aurora), the goddess of dawn, saw him on Mount Hymettus and fell in love with him. She tried to part him from Procris by suggesting that his wife might not be true, and Cephalus, disguised, tests her and tempts her with gifts. Procris yields, and then flees in shame when he reveals himself, and the two are reconciled after she brings him gifts, a hound and a spear that never miss. The hound, chasing a monstrous fox, is turned to stone with it.
Ovid, Metamorphoses 7.453–613Cephalus at Aegina; the plagueMinos is gathering a fleet to make war on Athens, and Cephalus is sent from Athens to ask help from Aeacus, king of Aegina, and is received with honour. Aeacus tells how Hera (Juno), angered that the island was named after Zeus' (Jupiter's) lover Aegina, sent a plague that killed its people. The plague began among animals and spread to men, and the dead lay unburied in thousands.
Ovid, Metamorphoses 7.792–865The death of ProcrisCephalus, who loves to hunt, calls on Aura, the breeze, to cool him, and someone who overhears thinks that he is speaking of a mistress. He tells Procris, who hides in the thicket to see, and when she moves in the bushes Cephalus, thinking she is a wild animal, throws the spear. Procris dies in his arms, begging him never to marry Aura, and Aeacus and his sons come in.
Ovid, Metamorphoses 7.614–657The MyrmidonsThe plague leaves Aeacus almost alone, and he looks at an ant-hill in an oak tree and prays to Zeus (Jupiter) to give him back as many men as there are ants. In the night he dreams that the ants become men, and when he wakes he finds that the dream is true. The new people are called Myrmidons, after the ants, and Aeacus promises Cephalus the help he asks.

Pausanias (3)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 1.3.1–5Athens Agora: Royal Colonnade, Apollo Patroos and the Council HouseThe Ceramicus is named after the hero Ceramus. The Royal Colonnade has terra-cotta figures of Theseus and Sciron and of Day carrying Cephalus, with nearby statues of Conon, Timotheus, Evagoras, Zeus of Freedom and Hadrian. A colonnade with paintings of the Twelve Gods and of Theseus with Democracy leads Pausanias to dispute the tale that Theseus gave power to the people; he also describes Euphranor’s painting of the cavalry fight at Mantinea, the temple of Apollo Paternal, the sanctuary of the Mother of the Gods and the Council House of the Five Hundred.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 1.37.1–7The Sacred Way: tombs, the Cephisus and Harpalus’ monument to PythioniceContinuing along the Sacred Way, Pausanias lists the tombs of Heliodorus, Themistocles’ descendant and Nicocles the harpist, the story of Acestium and the Torch-bearers, and the precinct of Phytalus, where Demeter gave the fig-tree. Beyond the Cephisus he notes the altar of Gracious Zeus where Theseus was purified, the temple of Cyamites, and the great tomb Harpalus built for Pythionice, and the sanctuary of Apollo tied to the story of Cephalus.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 10.29.1–10Delphi: Polygnotus' painting of the underworld (2): Indolence, Ariadne, Phaedra, Theseus and PirithousPausanias continues the underworld painting with the comrades of Ulysses bringing black rams, the figure of Indolence plaiting a rope eaten by a she-ass, and Tityus. He describes Ariadne and Phaedra, with the account of Dionysus and the bridge at Zeugma, then Chloris, Thyia, Procris, Clymene, Megara and Eriphyle. Near them are Elpenor, Ulysses at the trench with Tiresias and Anticlea, and Theseus and Pirithous seated with their swords.