Editing Cyrene (mythology) (section)

=== Artemis and Apollo ===
Cyrene was a [[Thessaly|Thessalian]] princess, the daughter of [[Hypseus]] and the  [[Naiad]] [[Chlidanope]]. She was a fierce huntress, called by [[Nonnus]], a "deer-chasing second [[Artemis]], the girl lionkiller" and "a champion in the leafy forest with lionslaying hands".<ref>[[Nonnus]], ''[[Dionysiaca]]'' 13.300 ff</ref> In ''Thesmophoriazusae'' (written by [[Aristophanes]]) Mnesilochus comments that he "can't see a man there at all - only Cyrene" when setting eyes upon the poet Agathon who has dressed in women's clothing and accessorised himself with male and female attributes.<ref>Gwendolyn Compton-Engle, ''Costume in the Comedies of Aristophanes''</ref> She was a companion of goddess Artemis, who had given her two hunting dogs. With the help of these dogs, Cyrene had been able to win the prize in the funeral games of [[Pelias]].<ref>[[Callimachus]], ''Hymn to Artemis'' 208</ref> [[Pindar]] describes her in his Pythian Ode:<blockquote>And by Hypseus was reared this maid, Cyrene of the lovely arms. But she loved not the pacing tread this way and that beside the loom, nor the delights of merry feasts with her companions in the household. But the bronze-tipped javelin and the sword called her to combat and slay the wild animals of the field; and in truth many a day she gave of peaceful quiet to her father's livestock.<ref name=":1">[[Pindar]], ''Pythian Ode'' 9.6 ff.</ref></blockquote>When a monstrous lion attacked the sheep of her father's kindgom, Cyrene wrestled with the lion and she killed it. Apollo, who was present, admired her bravery and skills. He fell in love with her, but wondered if it would be correct to make her his bride. But after consulting and getting an approval by [[Chiron]], the centaur fostered by Apollo and Artemis, he carried her away to North Africa in his golden car.<ref>Nonnus, ''Dionysiaca'' 13.300 ff.</ref> After Apollo made Cyrene the ruler of the fertile and rich land, [[Aphrodite]] welcomed them both.<ref name=":1" /><blockquote>And Aphrodite of the silver feet welcomed this guest from Delos, laying the touch of her light hand upon his god-built car, and over the sweet bliss of their bridal she spread love's shy and winsome modesty, plighting in joint wedlock the god and maiden daughter of wide-ruling Hypseus...That very day saw the decision, and in a chamber of rich gold in Libya they lay together. There she is guardian of a city rich in beauty.<ref name=":1" /></blockquote>Apollo founded the city [[Cyrene, Libya|Cyrene]] in the region of [[Cyrenaica]], both named after his lover.<ref name=":2" /> The couple had two sons: [[Aristaeus]], the god of [[beekeeping]], and [[Idmon (Argonaut)|Idmon]], the [[Argonauts|Argonaut]] seer.<ref name=":2">{{cite web |url=http://www.mythindex.com/greek-mythology/C/Cyrene.html |work=Greek Myth Index |title=Cyrene |year=2007 |access-date=December 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171224005432/http://www.mythindex.com/greek-mythology/C/Cyrene.html |archive-date=December 24, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Another son, Autuchus, is also mentioned by [[Apollonius of Rhodes]]. Aristaeus was entrusted to Chiron, and Idmon was brought up and educated by Apollo. After Cyrene gave birth to their children, Apollo transformed into a nymph so that she could have a long life and keep hunting with Artemis as much as she desired.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.maicar.com/GML/Cyrene.html |work=Greek Mythology Link |title=Cyrene |access-date=December 19, 2017}}</ref> He often helped by lifting their hunting nets.<ref>Nonnus, ''Dionysiaca'' 16.86</ref>

==== Other versions ====
In [[Callimachus]] and [[Acesander]]'s account, when [[Eurypylus (of Cyrene)|Eurypylus]] was still ruling [[Libya]], a monstrous lion had terrorized the citizens greatly, so Apollo brought Cyrene to get rid of the lion. After she killed the lion on the Myrtoussa (the Hill of Myrtles), Apollo stood on the same hill and showed to her the land of Libya, which she had now become the queen of.<ref>Acesander, ''On Cyrene'' FGrH 469, F 1, 3-4</ref><ref>Callimachus, ''Hymn to Apollo'' 85</ref><ref>Susan A. Stephens, ''Callimachus: The Hymns''</ref> 

Other version says that Cyrene had already wrestled with a lion and killed that same lion and she was tending her sheep along the marsh-meadow of the river [[Pineios (Thessaly)|Pineios]] when Apollo carried her away.