Eileithyia in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Eileithyia

14 passages from 5 ancient authors that tell of Eileithyia, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Eileithyia was a goddess in Greek mythology, daughter of Zeus and Hera, and represented childbirth. She was born in a cave near Knossos, Crete, and be... For the story in one place, read our article on Eileithyia.

Homer (1)

Homer, The Homeric Hymns 3.85–178Hymn 3 to Apollo (2): the birth of Apollo on DelosOnce Leto has sworn her oath, Delos is glad. After nine days and nights of labour, the goddesses bring Eileithyia, and Apollo is born, washed, and fed with nectar; he declares that the lyre, the bow and prophecy will be his. The Delian part of the hymn closes with the festival of the Ionians on Delos and the song of the Delian maidens.

Theocritus (1)

Theocritus, Idylls 17.1–137Idyll 17: In praise of PtolemyThe poem begins with Zeus and passes to Ptolemy son of Lagus, whom it praises as foremost among men, and to his mother Berenice. It tells of his birth on the isle of Cos, of the lands he rules and the wealth of Egypt, and of the temples he has built for his parents. It ends with his marriage to his sister, likened to the bridal of Zeus and Hera.

Ovid (1)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 9.273–321Alcmene and GalanthisEurystheus still pursues the sons of Heracles (Hercules), and Alcmene, his aged mother, tells Iole of the difficulty of his birth, which Hera (Juno) tried to hinder by having Lucina (Eileithyia) sit with her hands clasped before the door. Galanthis, her maid, deceived the goddess by crying that the child was born, and Lucina, in surprise, let go. Galanthis, laughing at the goddess, was turned into a weasel.

Pausanias (10)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 6.20.1–19Olympia: Sosipolis, the stadium and the TaraxippusPausanias describes the sanctuary of Ilithyia and Sosipolis on the slope of Mount Cronius, with the story of the child who turned into a serpent and routed the Arcadians. He also describes the Hippodamium, the stadium and the altar of Demeter Chamyne, and the starting-gate of the hippodrome with its bronze eagle and dolphin, invented by Cleoetas. He then gives the rival explanations of the Taraxippus, the 'terror of the horses', which he himself takes to be a surname of Poseidon Hippius.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 1.18.1–9Athens: Dioscuri, Prytaneum, temple of Ilithyia and the OlympieumPausanias describes the sanctuary of the Dioscuri with paintings by Polygnotus and Micon, the precinct of Aglaurus and the story of Erichthonius’ chest, the Prytaneum, a sanctuary of Serapis and the temple of Ilithyia. He then turns to the sanctuary of Olympian Zeus, completed by Hadrian: the colossal image, the cleft where the flood waters of Deucalion’s time drained away, the statue of Isocrates, and Hadrian’s other buildings, including a temple of Hera and Panhellenian Zeus and a library.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 7.23.1–11Aegium: Argyra, Selemnus and the sanctuaries of the cityPausanias passes the ruins of Argyra and the river Selemnus, whose water is said to cure love, and the river Bolinaeus and Cape Drepanum. At Aegium he mentions the colonnade of the athlete Strato and the sanctuaries of Ilithyia and Aesculapius, with images by Damophon. He reports a conversation with a Sidonian about Phoenician views of Aesculapius and Apollo. He also lists the temples of Athena, Hera, Dionysus and Saviour Zeus, and the bronze images called the gods from Argos.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 2.22.1–9Argos: sanctuaries of Hera and Latona, the Dioscuri, Hecate and the gymnasium of CylarabesSouth of the Latona sanctuary Pausanias describes the temple of Flowery Hera and the grave of the Sea-Women, the sanctuary of Pelasgian Demeter, a bronze vessel said to hold the bones of Tantalus, and the shrine of Poseidon of the Dashing Wave. He then lists the grave of Argus, the temple of the Dioscuri, the sanctuary of Ilithyia founded by Helen, and the temple of Hecate with images by Scopas, Polyclitus and Naucydes. He ends with the tomb of Sacadas and the gymnasium of Cylarabes.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 8.48.1–8Tegea: the market-place, the women's victory over Charillus and AugePausanias describes the brick-shaped market-place of Tegea, with its temple of Aphrodite, reliefs of the lawgivers and of the Olympic victor Iasius, and a digression on the palm and other crowns given to victors. He covers the relief of Ares, called Entertainer of Women because the women of Tegea, under Marpessa, routed the Spartan king Charillus in ambush and kept the sacrifice to themselves. He also mentions the altar of Full-grown Zeus, the tombs of Tegeates and Maera, and the temple of Ilithyia, called Auge on her Knees, with the two tales of the birth of Telephus.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 8.21.1–8.22.9Clitor and Stymphalus: the singing fish, Hera's three titles and the Stymphalian birdsPausanias describes Clitor with its sanctuaries of Demeter, Aesculapius and Ilithyia, and the spotted fish of the Aroanius, which are said to sing at sunset. He then turns to Stymphalus, a member of the Argive confederacy, where Temenus is said to have raised Hera and named her Child, Full-grown and Widow. He gives the course of the river Stymphalus, the man-eating birds shot or scared off by Hercules and the birds of Arabia of the same name, the sanctuary of Stymphalian Artemis with its bird figures, and the lake that drained into a chasm when a deer and its huntsman fell in.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 2.35.1–11Hermion: temples and the festival of Demeter ChthoniaPausanias lists the temples of Hermion: Dionysus of the Black Goatskin, Artemis Iphigenia, Poseidon, Hestia, three Apollos, Fortune, and the cisterns. He describes the sanctuary of Demeter Chthonia on Mount Pron, its two foundation stories, the summer festival with the sacrifice of cows by four old women, the temple of Clymenus, the Colonnade of Echo, the chasm through which Hercules brought up the hound of hell, and the sanctuary of Ilithyia.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 3.17.1–9Sparta: the acropolis, Athena of the Brazen House and the end of PausaniasOn the acropolis stands the sanctuary of Athena of the Brazen House, with bronze reliefs by Gitiadas, followed by the temples of Athena the Worker, Zeus Orderer and Warlike Aphrodite, and Lysander’s eagles and Victories. Pausanias also describes the oldest bronze image, a Zeus by Clearchus of Rhegium, and the two statues of Pausanias. He gives a Byzantine’s account of why the regent could not find protection there: his killing of the girl Cleonice at Byzantium.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 4.31.1–12Messenia: Thuria, the springs of the Pamisus and Messene’s walls, temples and paintingsPausanias passes from Pharae to Thuria, Calamae and Limnae and the springs of the Pamisus, then to Messene under Mount Ithome, whose walls he judges stronger than any he knows. He describes its market-place with the Arsinoe water-basin, Damophon’s Mother of the Gods and Laphria, the temples of Ilithyia, Demeter and the Curetes’ hall, the sanctuary of Aesculapius with its many images, and the temple of Messene with paintings of the kings.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 8.32.1–5Megalopolis: the southern quarter and its theatrePausanias describes the south side of the river at Megalopolis, with the largest theatre in Greece, the foundations of the Thersilium built for the Arcadian Ten Thousand and a house built for Alexander. He lists the ruined sanctuaries of the Muses, Apollo and Hermes, of the three Aphrodites, of Ares, Dionysus and Hercules and Hermes, and the stadium. On the eastern hill are the temples of Huntress Artemis and Aesculapius, the images of Athena Worker and Apollo, and the huge bones said to be those of a giant.

Nonnus of Panopolis (1)

Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 2.109–240Book 2: The nymph's lament; Victory rouses ZeusA nymph runs through every means of escape for her maidenhood, as bird, tree, spring or stone, and finds none safe. Night falls and the stars keep watch over Olympos while Zeus sits alone. Victory comes in the shape of Leto to reproach him, listing the gods who have fled and urging him to fight.