Editing Cedalion

{{Short description|Character in Greek mythology}}
{{for|context|Orion (mythology)}}
[[File:Poussin - Orion aveugle cherchant le soleil, detail.JPG|thumb|200px|Cedalion standing on the shoulders of Orion; detail from ''Blind Orion Searching for the Rising Sun'' by [[Nicolas Poussin]],  1658, Oil on canvas; 46 7/8 x 72 in. (119.1 x 182.9 cm), [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]]]]

In [[Greek mythology]], '''Cedalion''' or '''Kedalion''' ([[Greek language|Classical Greek]] Κηδαλίων) was a servant of [[Hephaestus]] in [[Lemnos]]. According to one tradition, he was Hephaestus's tutor, with whom [[Hera]] fostered her son on [[Naxos Island|Naxos]] to teach him smithcraft.<ref>[[Eustathius of Thessalonica]], first note on Ξ, 294; Kerenyi, ''Gods of the Greeks'', p. 156 says it is also supported by [[Maurus Servius Honoratus|Servius]] on Aeneid 10.763; there are several variant texts of Servius.</ref>  Kerenyi compares him to the [[Cabeiri]], to [[Chiron]], and to [[Prometheus]].<ref>Kerenyi, ''The Gods of the Greeks'' 1951:156, 177, 283.</ref>

== Mythology ==
The more common story of Cedalion tells of his part in the healing of [[Orion (mythology)|Orion]], who came to Lemnos after he was blinded by [[Oenopion]].   Orion took up Cedalion<ref>Fragment of [[Hesiod]]'s ''Astronomy'' quoted in Pseudo-Eratosthenes' ''[[Catasterismi]]''; Pseudo-Apollodorus, ''[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Bibliotheke]]'' 1.25.</ref> and set the youth upon his shoulders<ref>[[Lucian of Samosata]], ''de Domo'' 28.</ref> for a guide to the East.<ref>Traditions vary whether this was an arduous journey, or whether Orion simply had to face the dawn, personified as [[Eos]].</ref>  There, the rays of [[Helios]] restored Orion's sight.

[[Sophocles]] wrote  a [[satyr play]] ''Cedalion'', of which a few words survive. Its plot is uncertain, whether the blinding of Orion by Oenopion and the [[satyrs]] on Chios, probably with Cedalion offstage and prophesied, or the recovery of Orion's sight on Lemnos. It has also been suggested that the subject may be Hephaestus's fostering; or the instructions given to the blinded Orion by satyrs in Cedalion's service.  One of the surviving lines suggests extreme drunkenness; Burkert reads this fragment as from a chorus of [[Cabeiri]].<ref>''Fragments of Sophocles'', ed. Pearson, (1917) II, 9; for the fostering, he cites Ahrens, for the satyrs, [[Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff|Wilamowitz]] ''GGN'' [=''Nachrichten der Königlichen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen'' Philological-historical section] 1895:237, which is "Hephaistos" in Wilamowitz's ''Kleine Schiften'' V.2 pp.5-35; but Pearson finds both doubtful. The reconstruction of the plot, including the doubt, is from Pearson.  Cf. the ''[[Suda]]'', under "Sophocles"; Walter Burkert, ''Greek Religion'', 1985:281 "the Kabeiroi and Samothrace".</ref>

One traditional etymology is from ''kēdeuein'' "to take charge, to care for", and early nineteenth century scholars agreed.<ref>Robert Brown, ''The Great Dionysiak Myth'' vol. 2 (1878, reprinted 2004) p. 277, citing Eustathius' commentary upon ''[[Iliad]]'' xiv.294, and referring to [[Friedrich Gottlieb Welcker|Welcker]] and [[Karl Otfried Müller|Müller]].</ref> Scholars since [[Wilamowitz]], however, support the other traditional interpretation, as "phallos", from a different sense of the same verb: "to marry" (said of the groom).<ref>''Fragments of Sophocles'', ed. Pearson, (1917) II, 9; citing [[Hesychius of Alexandria|Hesychius]] on "Kedalion"; Kerényi 1951:156; ''[[LSJ]]'', under ''kēdeuō''.</ref>

Wilamowitz speculates<ref>Wilamowitz, "Hephaistos", p. 33 ''KS''.</ref> that Cedalion is the dwarf in the [[Louvre]] relief showing Dionysius in Hephaestus' workplace.

==Notes==
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[[Category:Hephaestus]]
[[Category:People from Lemnos]]