Editing Aristaeus (section)

==Aristaeus and the bees==
Soon after Aristaeus' inadvertent hand in the death of [[Eurydice]]—whose husband, Orpheus, in one version, is Aristaeus' own half-brother, via Apollo (another version says that her husband, Orpheus, was fathered by [[Oeagrus]])—his bees became sickened and began to die.  Seeking counsel, first from his mother, Cyrene, and then from [[Proteus]], Aristaeus learns that the bees' death was a punishment for causing the death of Eurydice, from her [[nymph]] sisters. To [[Propitiation|make amends]], Aristaeus needed to sacrifice 12 animals (or four bulls and four cows) to the gods, and in memory of Eurydice, leave the carcasses in the place of sacrifice, and to return 3-days later. He followed these instructions, establishing sacrificial altars before a fountain, as advised, sacrificed the aforementioned cattle, and left their carcasses.  Upon returning 3-days later, Aristaeus found within one of the carcasses new swarms of bees, which he took back to his [[apiary]]. The bees were never again troubled by disease.<ref name=":0" />

A variation of this tale was told in the 2002 novel by [[Sue Monk Kidd]], ''[[The Secret Life of Bees (novel)|The Secret Life of Bees]]''.<ref>''The Secret Life of Bees'', Kidd, p. 206</ref>