Cyrene (mythology) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cyrene |
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Cyrene depicted on a mosaic of the 2nd/3rd century AD
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| Personal information | |
| Consort | Apollo |
| Offspring | Aristaeus, Autuchus and Idmon |
| Parents | Chlidanope and Peneus or Hypseus |
In Greek mythology, Cyrene ( sy-REE-nee) was a brave princess. She later became the queen of a city in North Africa called Cyrene. The myth says that the god Apollo founded this city and named it after her.
Contents
Cyrene's Family
Cyrene was a princess from Thessaly, a region in Greece. Her father was King Hypseus of the Lapiths. Her mother was a water nymph named Chlidanope. Some stories say her father was the river-god Peneus. She also had sisters named Larissa, Themisto, Alcaea, and Astyagyia.
With the god Apollo, Cyrene had two sons. Their names were Aristaeus and Idmon. Aristaeus grew up to be the god of beekeeping and cheese making. Idmon became a famous seer, which means someone who could see the future. Another story mentions a third son with Apollo, named Autuchus.
Cyrene's Story
How Apollo Met Cyrene
Cyrene was a very strong and skilled huntress. She loved hunting wild animals in the forest. People even called her a "lion-killer" because she was so brave. She was a friend of the goddess Artemis, who gave her two special hunting dogs. With these dogs, Cyrene won a big prize in a competition.
One day, a lion attacked her father's sheep. Cyrene bravely wrestled with the lion to protect the animals. The god Apollo saw her fighting. He was amazed by her courage and hunting skills. Apollo immediately fell in love with her.
He decided he wanted to make her his queen. After getting advice from the wise Chiron, Apollo carried Cyrene away. He took her to North Africa in his golden chariot.
In North Africa, Apollo founded a new city. He named it Cyrene after his beloved. This city became a beautiful and rich place.
After they had their sons, Apollo changed Cyrene into a nymph. This meant she could live a very long life. She could also keep hunting as much as she wanted. Apollo often helped her by lifting her hunting nets.
Another story says that a giant lion was scaring the people of Libya. Apollo brought Cyrene to help. She killed the beast on a hill called Myrtoussa. After that, Apollo showed her the land of Libya, which she would now rule as queen.
Aristaeus and the Bees
Cyrene's son, Aristaeus, faced a big problem one day. All of his bees died. This happened after Eurydice, the wife of Orpheus, died from a snake bite. She was bitten while Aristaeus was chasing her. The death of his bees was a consequence of Eurydice's death.
Aristaeus was very sad about his bees. He went to his mother, Cyrene, for help. Cyrene comforted her son. She told him to go and ask for advice from the wise sea-god Proteus.
Aristaeus followed his mother's instructions. Proteus told him what to do to make Eurydice's spirit happy and get his bees back.
Images for kids
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Cyrene depicted on a mosaic of the 2nd/3rd century AD
See also
In Spanish: Cirene (mitología) para niños
