Limos facts for kids

Limos (pronounced LEE-moss) is the ancient Greek god or goddess of starvation, hunger, and famine. In Roman myths, Limos was known as Fames. This deity was seen as a sad and difficult figure. Limos was the opposite of Demeter, who was the goddess of grain and harvests. Limos also stood against Plutus, the god of wealth and good harvests.

Limos's Family

Limos was part of a large and often troublesome family. According to the ancient Greek poet Hesiod, Limos was a child of Eris. Eris was the goddess of arguments and disagreements. Eris herself was the daughter of Nyx, who represented Night.

Limos had many siblings, all born from Eris. These siblings included:

• Ponos (Hardship or Toil)
• Lethe (Forgetfulness)
• Algos (Pains)
• Hysminai (Battles)
• Machai (Wars)
• Phonoi (Murders)
• Androktasiai (Manslaughters)
• Neikea (Quarrels)
• Pseudea (Lies)
• Logoi (Stories)
• Amphillogiai (Disputes)
• Dysnomia (Anarchy or Lawlessness)
• Atë (Ruin or Delusion)
• Horkos (Oath), who caused trouble for people who swore false oaths.

Gender of Limos

The gender of Limos was not always the same in ancient stories. It could change depending on where the story was told. In some Greek areas, Limos was seen as a goddess. For example, in Sparta, Limos was shown as a woman in temples dedicated to Apollo and Athena.

However, in other parts of Greece, like Cyrene, Limos was described as a male god. Roman poets, who wrote in Latin, usually referred to Fames (Limos's Roman name) as a female. So, Limos could be either a god or a goddess.

Limos in Myths

Limos appears in a few important ancient myths. This deity often shows up in dark or difficult places.

Sentinel of the Underworld

In some myths, Limos was a guardian at the entrance to the Underworld. This was the realm of the dead. The Roman poet Virgil wrote that Limos stood there with other scary figures. These included Sorrows, Cares, Old Age, Diseases, Fear, and Want. They all waited at the gates of the Underworld.

Another Roman writer, Seneca the Younger, also described Limos in the Underworld. Seneca said Limos lay by the river Cocytus, which was a river of sadness. Limos was described as having "wasted jaws," showing the effects of hunger. Other figures nearby included Dread, Fear, Pain, Grief, and War.

The King's Punishment

One of the most famous stories about Limos is found in Ovid's Metamorphoses. In this myth, Limos lives in a cold, dark, and barren land far away. Nothing grows there.

The goddess Demeter was very angry at a king named Erysichthon. He had cut down a sacred grove of trees that belonged to Demeter. Because Demeter and Limos are opposites, they could never meet in person. So, Demeter sent a nymph to ask Limos for help. Demeter wanted Limos to curse Erysichthon with endless hunger.

Limos agreed to Demeter's request. At midnight, Limos entered Erysichthon's room. Limos wrapped the king in a ghostly embrace and breathed upon him. This action filled Erysichthon's mouth, throat, and lungs with a terrible, empty craving. From that moment on, Erysichthon felt an unquenchable hunger. He ate everything he could find, but he was never full. This endless hunger eventually drove him to eat himself.

See also

In Spanish: Limos para niños