Editing Cyrene (mythology)

{{Short description|Nymph, mother of Aristaeus by Apollo}}
{{Infobox deity
| type = Greek
| name = Cyrene
| image = Mosaico della ninfa cirene, II-III secolo, dal museo di lambèse 02.JPG
| caption = Cyrene depicted on a mosaic of the 2nd century CE
| consort = [[Apollo]]
| offspring = [[Aristaeus]], [[Autuchus]] and [[Idmon]]
| parents = [[Chlidanope]] and [[Hypseus]]
| spouse = [[Apollo]]
}}
[[File:Cyrene_and_Cattle_-_Edward_Calvert.jpg|thumb|''Cyrene and Cattle'' by [[Edward Calvert (painter)|Edward Calvert]], 1830s or 1840s]]

'''Cyrene''' ({{IPAc-en|s|aɪ|ˈ|r|iː|n|i}}, {{respell|sy|REE|nee}}), also spelled '''Kyrene''' ({{IPAc-en|k|aɪ|ˈ|r|iː|n|i}}, {{respell|ky|REE|nee}}; {{langx|grc|Κυρήνη|Kurḗnē}}) is a figure in [[Greek mythology]] considered the [[etymology|etymon]] of the [[ancient Greeks|Greek]] [[Greek colonization|colony]] of [[Cyrene, Libya|Cyrene]] in eastern [[Libya]] in [[North Africa]]. She was said to have been a [[Thessaly|Thessalian]] princess and huntress who became the [[queen regnant]] of Cyrene, founded and named in her honor by the god [[Apollo]].<ref>[[Diodorus Siculus]], 4.81.1</ref> The story is entirely apocryphal, the city having been founded by settlers from [[Thera]].

{{Greek deities (nymphs)}}

== Family ==
As recorded in [[Pindar]]'s ninth Pythian ode, Cyrene was the daughter of [[Hypseus]], king of the [[Lapiths]],<ref>[[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''Fabulae'' 161; [[Virgil]], ''[[Georgics]]'' 4.320</ref> and the [[Naiad]] [[Chlidanope]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Graves|first=Robert|title=The Greek Myths - The Complete and Definitive Edition|publisher=Penguin Books Limited|year=2017|isbn=9780241983386|pages=276}}</ref><ref name=":0">[[Scholia]] ad [[Pindar]], ''Pythian Ode'' [https://archive.org/details/scholiaveterainp02drac/page/223/mode/1up?view=theater 9.31]</ref> According to [[Apollonius of Rhodes|Apollonius Rhodius]], she also had a sister called [[Larissa (mythology)|Larissa]].<ref>[[Apollonius of Rhodes|Apollonius Rhodius]], ''[[Argonautica]]''</ref> Cyrene's other sisters were [[Themisto]],<ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], 1.9.2</ref> [[Alcaea]]<ref name=":0" /> and [[Astyaguia|Astyagyia]].<ref>Diodorus Siculus, 4.69.3</ref>

By the god [[Apollo]], she bore [[Aristaeus]] and [[Idmon]]. Aristaeus became the god of animal husbandry, bee-keeping and cheese making. Idmon became a famed seer. Apollonius Rhodius states that the couple also had another son called Autuchus.<ref>Apollonius Rhodius, ''Argonautica''</ref>

== Mythology ==

=== 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.

=== Aristaeus ===
Aristaeus pursued [[Eurydice]], the wife of [[Orpheus]], but she rejected his unwanted advances. Tragically, she died when she was bitten by a snake that she had trod upon during her escape.. As a consequence of her death, all of his bees died. Desolate, he went to his mother and bemoaned his situation. Cyrene consoled her son and instructed him to seek the advice of the wise Proteus, a [[prophetic]] [[sea god]]. Aristaeus followed his mother's instructions and Proteus told him how to appease Eurydice's soul and recover his bees.<ref>Virgil, ''Georgics'' 4. 317; [[Ovid]], ''[[Fasti]]'' 1.363</ref>

==References==
===Citations===
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
{{refbegin}}
* [[Callimachus]], ''Callimachus and Lycophron with an English translation by A. W. Mair; Aratus, with an English translation by G. R. Mair'', London: W. Heinemann, New York: G. P. Putnam 1921. Internet Archive
* Callimachus, ''Works''. A.W. Mair. London: William Heinemann; New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 1921. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0481 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Diodorus Siculus]], ''The Library of History'' translated by [[Charles Henry Oldfather]]. Twelve volumes. [[Loeb Classical Library]]. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. 1989. Vol. 3. Books 4.59–8. [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/home.html Online version at Bill Thayer's Web Site]
* Diodorus Siculus, ''Bibliotheca Historica. Vol 1-2''. Immanel Bekker. Ludwig Dindorf. Friedrich Vogel. in aedibus B. G. Teubneri. Leipzig. 1888-1890. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0540 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Gaius Julius Hyginus]], ''Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus'' translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies. [https://topostext.org/work/206 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
* [[Nonnus|Nonnus of Panopolis]], ''Dionysiaca'' translated by William Henry Denham Rouse (1863-1950), from the Loeb Classical Library, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press, 1940.  [https://topostext.org/work/529 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
* Nonnus of Panopolis, ''Dionysiaca. 3 Vols.'' W.H.D. Rouse. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1940-1942. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0485 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Pindar]], ''Odes'' translated by Diane Arnson Svarlien. 1990. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0162%3Abook%3DP. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.]
* Pindar, ''The Odes of Pindar'' including the Principal Fragments with an Introduction and an English Translation by Sir John Sandys, Litt.D., FBA. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1937. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0161%3Abook%3DP. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Ovid|Publius Ovidius Naso]], ''Fasti'' translated by James G. Frazer. [https://topostext.org/work/143 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
* Publius Ovidius Naso, ''Fasti.'' Sir James George Frazer. London; Cambridge, MA. William Heinemann Ltd.; Harvard University Press. 1933. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0547 Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Virgil|Publius Vergilius Maro]], ''Bucolics'', ''Aeneid, and Georgics of Vergil''. J. B. Greenough. Boston. Ginn & Co. 1900. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0058 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library].
{{refend}}

==External links==
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[[Category:Cyrenean Greeks]]
[[Category:Princesses in Greek mythology]]
[[Category:Mythological hunters]]
[[Category:Libya in Greek mythology]]
[[Category:Lapiths]]
[[Category:Queens in Greek mythology]]
[[Category:Nymphs]]
[[Category:Retinue of Artemis]]
[[Category:Deeds of Artemis]]
[[Category:Female lovers of Apollo]]
[[Category:Deeds of Apollo]]