Editing Eileithyia (section)

==Origins==
According to F. Willets, the goddess shows a clear connection to a preexisting Minoan goddess, as well as an earlier Neolithic concept. Eileithyia's guidance in childbirth may give influence of the first midwife.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Willetts|first=R. F.|date=1958|title=Cretan Eileithyia|journal=The Classical Quarterly|volume=8|issue=3–4|pages=221–223|doi=10.1017/S0009838800021868|s2cid=246878304 |issn=}}</ref> To [[Homer]], she is "the goddess of childbirth".<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.perseus-eng1:16.187 16.187], [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.perseus-eng1:19.103 19.103].</ref> The ''[[Iliad]]'' pictures Eileithyia alone, or sometimes multiplied, as the '''Eileithyiai''':

{{quote|And even as when the sharp dart striketh a woman in travail, [270] the piercing dart that the Eilithyiae, the goddesses of childbirth, send—even the daughters of Hera that have in their keeping bitter pangs;<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.perseus-eng1:11.270 11.270], The plural is also used at ''[[Iliad]]'' [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.perseus-eng1:19.119 19.119].</ref>|''Iliad'' 11.269&ndash;272}}

[[Hesiod]] (c. 700 BC) described Eileithyia as a daughter of Hera by [[Zeus]] (''Theogony'' 921)<ref name="912–923">Hesiod, ''Theogony'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Hes.+Th.+912 912–923].</ref>—and the ''[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Bibliotheca]]'' (Roman-era) and [[Diodorus Siculus]] (c.&nbsp;90–27 BC) (5.72.5) agreed. Also, a poem at the [[Greek Anthology]] Book 6, mention Eileithyia as Hera's daughter.<ref>[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=urn:cts:greekLit:tlg7000.tlg001.perseus-grc1:6.244 ''Greek Anthology''] Book 6, 6.244</ref> But [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], writing in the 2nd century AD, reported another early source (now lost): "The [[Lycia]]n [[Olen (poet)|Olen]], an earlier poet, who composed for the [[Delos|Delians]], among other hymns, one to Eileithyia, styles her as '[[Clotho|the clever spinner]]', clearly identifying her with the [[Moirai|Fates]], thus making her older than [[Cronus]]."<ref name="6.20">[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0160:book=6:chapter=20&highlight=sosipolis 6.20.]</ref> Being the youngest born to [[Gaia (mythology)|Gaia]], Cronus was a Titan of the first generation and he was identified as the father of Zeus. Likewise, the meticulously accurate mythographer [[Pindar]] (522–443 BC) also makes no mention of Zeus:

{{quote|Eleithuia, seated beside the deep-thinking [[Fates]], hear me, creator of offspring, child of [[Hera]] great in strength.|Seventh Nemean Ode, Line 1, translated by Diane Arnson Svarlien, 1990}}

Later, for the Classical Greeks, "She is closely associated with [[Artemis]] and [[Hera]]," Burkert asserts, "but develops no character of her own".<ref>{{Cite book|author=Burkert, Walter|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/1120879562|title=Greek religion: archaic and classical|date=1987|publisher=Blackwell|isbn=0-631-15624-0|oclc=1120879562}}</ref> In the ''[[Orphic Hymn]]'' to [[Prothyraia]], virginal Artemis is given an epithet relating to the goddess of childbirth, making the divine huntress also "she who comes to the aid of women in childbirth":<ref>{{Cite book|last=Graves|first=Robert|title=The Greek Myths|year=1955}}</ref>

{{poemquote|When racked with labour pangs, and sore distressed
the sex invoke thee, as the soul's sure rest;
for thou Eileithyia alone canst give relief to pain,
which art attempts to ease, but tries in vain.
Artemis Eileithyia, venerable power,
who bringest relief in labour's dreadful hour.|Orphic Hymn 2, to [[Prothyraia]], as translated by [[Thomas Taylor (neoplatonist)|Thomas Taylor]], 1792.}}

Eileithyia is commonly in classical Greek art most often depicted assisting childbirth. Vase-painters, when illustrating the birth of [[Athena]] from Zeus' head, may show two assisting Eileithyiai, with their hands raised in the [[Epiphany (feeling)|epiphany]] gesture. [[The Beauty of Durrës]], a large 4th-century B.C.E. mosaic shows the head figure of a woman, probably portrays the goddess Eileithyia.<ref>Bank of Albania. [http://www.bankofalbania.org/web/Explanation_for_coin_of_2004_The_bele_of_Durres_2775_2.php?kc=0,6,3,6,0 Coin with "The Beauty of Durrës"]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305065629/http://www.bankofalbania.org/web/Explanation_for_coin_of_2004_The_bele_of_Durres_2775_2.php?kc=0,6,3,6,0|date=2012-03-05}}</ref> A fragment by [[Callimachus]] has Eileithyia assist her full-sister [[Hebe (mythology)|Hebe]] in her labour,<ref>[[Callimachus]] Fr. 524: ''{{lang|grc|Εἰνατίην ὁμόδελφυν ἐπ᾿ ὠδίνεσσιν ἰδοῦσα}}''.</ref> presumably when she gave birth to [[Alexiares and Anicetus]], her sons by [[Heracles]].