Hyacinthus in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Hyacinthus

10 passages from 5 ancient authors that tell of Hyacinthus, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Hyacinthus was a mortal in Greek mythology. Many names are given in the various myths as his parents; they include King Pierus of Macedon, or King Oeb... For the story in one place, read our article on Hyacinthus.

Apollodorus (2)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 1.3.1–6Zeus's children, the Muses, Orpheus and the birth of AthenaZeus marries Hera and has children by many goddesses, among them the Seasons, the Fates, the Graces, Persephone and, by Mnemosyne, the nine Muses. The Muses' sons include Linus and Orpheus, who goes down to Hades for Eurydice and loses her by looking back, as well as Hyacinth (loved by Thamyris and by Apollo), Rhesus and the Corybantes; Thamyris is blinded by the Muses and the Sirens are born of Melpomene. Hephaestus is born to Hera (alone, or by Zeus, in Homer's version) and thrown out of heaven, and Athena springs from the head of Zeus after he swallows Metis.
Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 3.10.1–9Hermes, Asclepius, Leda and the suitors of HelenThe Pleiades are named, and Maia bears Hermes to Zeus, who steals Apollo's cattle, invents the lyre and trades it for the cattle and the art of divination. The line of Taygete and Lacedaemon leads to Hyacinth, to Asclepius, son of Apollo and Coronis, whom Zeus strikes with a thunderbolt for raising the dead, and to Tyndareus and Icarius. Zeus, as a swan, lies with Leda, who bears Helen and the Dioscuri (or, in another version, Nemesis lays Helen's egg), and Theseus carries Helen off. The kings of Greece court Helen, and Tyndareus, on Odysseus's advice, binds them by an oath to defend the chosen husband.

Euripides (1)

Euripides, Helen 1429–1511Theoclymenus plans the wedding; choral song on the ship of SidonTheoclymenus says that his house is pure since Menelaus did not die there, and tells the stranger to cast in the offerings and return for the wedding feast. Menelaus prays to Zeus to end their troubles. The Chorus sings of the swift ship bearing Helen to Greece, of the dances at Sparta, of the cranes, and of the Dioscuri.

Ovid (1)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 10.143–219Ganymede and HyacinthusOrpheus sings of the love of Zeus (Jupiter) for Ganymede, whom the god carries off to heaven as an eagle to be his cup-bearer. He then sings of Apollo's love for Hyacinthus, with whom he plays at quoits, until the discus, thrown by Apollo and deflected by the wind, strikes the boy on the head and kills him. Apollo, unable to restore him, makes a flower grow from his blood, marked with the letters of his grief.

Pausanias (3)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 3.19.1–13Amyclae and Therapne: Hyacinth’s tomb, Helen and the White IslePausanias describes the image of the Amyclaean Apollo, standing on an altar said to hold the tomb of Hyacinth and carved with reliefs, and the sanctuary of Alexandra and Dionysus Psilax at Amyclae. He then follows the road to Therapne past the sanctuaries of Zeus, Cotylean Aesculapius and Ares Theritas, and gives the Rhodian story of Helen’s hanging and the tale from Crotona and Himera of Leonymus and the White Isle.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 3.1.1–9Laconia: the early kings from Lelex to the sons of AristodemusPausanias opens the Laconian book with the early kings, Lelex, Myles, Eurotas and Lacedaemon, who named Sparta after his wife, then Amyclas, whose son Hyacinth is buried at Amyclae, and Oebalus, Tyndareus and the Tyndarid line to Orestes. He recounts the Heraclid return and the death of Aristodemus, whose twin sons Procles and Eurysthenes founded the two royal houses, and Theras’ colony on Thera.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 3.10.1–8Sparta: Agesilaus’ last campaigns, Archidamus III and the roads into LaconiaPausanias summarises Agesilaus’ later actions, from Corinth and the Amyclaean battalion destroyed by Iphicrates to Aetolia and his death returning from Egypt. He then turns to Archidamus III, the Sacred War and the Phocian seizure of Delphi, Archidamus’ death in Italy, and his sons Agis and Eudamidas. He ends with the road to Sparta past the oak woods of Scotitas, a trophy of Hercules, Caryae with Artemis Caryatis, Sellasia and Thornax.

Nonnus of Panopolis (3)

Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 10.218–320Book 10: Dionysos' jealous love; a Satyr's prayerDionysos cannot bear to be apart from Ampelos and fears that Zephyros, Zeus or Poseidon may carry him off. A Satyr sees the boy, falls in love with him, and prays to Persuasion and to Zeus. He says that Ampelos is more beautiful than Ganymedes.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 19.97–157Book 19: Oiagros wins the song contest; Dionysos sets the prizes for dancingOiagros, father of Orpheus, sings two lines on Apollo and Hyacinthos and the promise that Dionysos will make Staphylos live for ever, and wins the bull, while Erechtheus gets the goat. Dionysos then sets out a golden mixing-bowl and a silver bowl as prizes for a dancing contest in honour of the dead king, who loved dancing.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 29.78–166Book 29: Aphrodite's distress; Apollo's cure; Melaneus is woundedAphrodite keeps the arrow out of the flesh, and Dionysos carries Hymenaios from the fight and laments, blaming Hera and Ares for the wound. He heals the boy with ivy and wine, and Hymenaios returns to the battle and wounds Melaneus in revenge.