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Eileithyia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ancient Greek goddess of childbirth
"Ilithyia" redirects here. For the former snout moth genus, seeAphomia.
Not to be confused withAletheia.
Eileithyia
Goddess of childbirth
The birth ofAthena from the head ofZeus, with Eileithyia on the right
AbodeMount Olympus
Genealogy
ParentsZeus andHera
SiblingsAres,Hebe,Hephaestus and several paternal half-siblings
ChildrenSosipolis
This article containsspecial characters. Without properrendering support, you may seequestion marks, boxes, or other symbols.
Part ofa series on
Ancient Greek religion
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Eileithyia orIlithyia (/ɪlɪˈθaɪ.ə/;[1]Ancient Greek:Εἰλείθυια;Ἐλεύθυια (Eleuthyia) inCrete, alsoἘλευθία (Eleuthia) orἘλυσία (Elysia) inLaconia andMessene, andἘλευθώ (Eleuthō) in literature)[2] was theGreek goddess ofchildbirth andmidwifery,[3] and the daughter ofZeus andHera. In the cave ofAmnisos (Crete) she was related with the annual birth of the divine child, and her cult is connected withEnesidaon (the earth shaker), who was thechthonic aspect of the godPoseidon. It is possible that her cult is related with the cult ofEleusis.[4] In hisSeventh Nemean Ode,Pindar refers to her as the maid to or seated beside theMoirai (Fates) and responsible for the creation of offspring. Her son wasSosipolis, who was worshiped atElis.[5]

Etymology

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The earliest form of the name is theMycenaean Greek𐀁𐀩𐀄𐀴𐀊,e-re-u-ti-ja, written in theLinear B syllabic script.[6] Ilithyia is thelatinisation ofΕἰλείθυια.

The etymology of the name is uncertain, and debated among scholars.R. S. P. Beekes suggests a non-Indo-European etymology,[7] andNilsson believed that the name isPre-Greek.[2] 19th-century scholars suggested that the name is Greek, derived from the verbeleutho(ἐλεύθω), "to bring", the goddess thus meaningThe Bringer.[8]Walter Burkert believed thatEileithyia is the Greek goddess of birth and that her name is pure Greek.[9] However, the relation with the Greek prefixἐλεύθ is uncertain, because the prefix appears in some pre-Greektoponyms likeἘλευθέρνα (Eleutherna); therefore it is possible that the name is pre-Greek.[10] Her nameἘλυσία (Elysia) inLaconia andMessene probably relates her with the monthEleusinios andEleusis.[11][12] Nilsson also believed that the name "Eleusis" is pre-Greek.[13]

Origins

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According to F. Willets, the goddess shows a clear connection to a preexisting Minoan goddess, as well as an earlier Neolithic concept. Eileithyia's guidance in childbirth may give influence of the first midwife.[14] ToHomer, she is "the goddess of childbirth".[15] TheIliad pictures Eileithyia alone, or sometimes multiplied, as theEileithyiai:

And even as when the sharp dart striketh a woman in travail, [270] the piercing dart that the Eilithyiae, the goddesses of childbirth, send—even the daughters of Hera that have in their keeping bitter pangs;[16]

— Iliad 11.269–272

Hesiod (c. 700 BC) described Eileithyia as a daughter of Hera byZeus (Theogony 921)[17]—and theBibliotheca (Roman-era) andDiodorus Siculus (c. 90–27 BC) (5.72.5) agreed. Also, a poem at theGreek Anthology Book 6, mention Eileithyia as Hera's daughter.[18] ButPausanias, writing in the 2nd century AD, reported another early source (now lost): "TheLycianOlen, an earlier poet, who composed for theDelians, among other hymns, one to Eileithyia, styles her as 'the clever spinner', clearly identifying her with theFates, thus making her older thanCronus."[19] Being the youngest born toGaia, Cronus was a Titan of the first generation and he was identified as the father of Zeus. Likewise, the meticulously accurate mythographerPindar (522–443 BC) also makes no mention of Zeus:

Eleithuia, seated beside the deep-thinkingFates, hear me, creator of offspring, child ofHera great in strength.

— Seventh Nemean Ode, Line 1, translated by Diane Arnson Svarlien, 1990

Later, for the Classical Greeks, "She is closely associated withArtemis andHera," Burkert asserts, "but develops no character of her own".[20] In theOrphic Hymn toProthyraia, virginal Artemis is given an epithet relating to the goddess of childbirth, making the divine huntress also "she who comes to the aid of women in childbirth":[21]

When racked with labour pangs, and sore distressed
the sex invoke thee, as the soul's sure rest;
for thou Eileithyia alone canst give relief to pain,
which art attempts to ease, but tries in vain.
Artemis Eileithyia, venerable power,
who bringest relief in labour's dreadful hour.

— Orphic Hymn 2, toProthyraia, as translated byThomas Taylor, 1792.

Eileithyia is commonly in classical Greek art most often depicted assisting childbirth. Vase-painters, when illustrating the birth ofAthena from Zeus' head, may show two assisting Eileithyiai, with their hands raised in theepiphany gesture.The Beauty of Durrës, a large 4th-century B.C.E. mosaic shows the head figure of a woman, probably portrays the goddess Eileithyia.[22] A fragment byCallimachus has Eileithyia assist her full-sisterHebe in her labour,[23] presumably when she gave birth toAlexiares and Anicetus, her sons byHeracles.

Cult

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Zeus with two goddesses, perhaps two Eileithyiae, on a black-figurehydria fromRhodes, c. 530 BC[24]

As the primary goddess of childbirth along withArtemis, Eileithyia had numerous shrines in many locations in Greece dating from Neolithic to Roman times, indicating that she was extremely important to pregnant women and their families.[25] People would pray for and leave offerings for aid in fertility, safe childbirth, or give appreciation for a successful birth.[26] Archaeological evidence of terracotta votive figurines depict children found at shrines, and holy sites dedicated to Eileithyia suggest that she was akourotrophic divinity, whom parents would have prayed to for protection and care of their children.[26] Midwives had an essential role in ancient Greek society, with women of all classes participating in the profession - many being slaves with only empirical training or some theoretical training in obstetrics and gynecology.[27] More highly educated midwives, typically from higher classes, were referred to asiatrenes or doctors of women's diseases and would be respected as physicians.[27]

She was invoked by women in labour, to ease the pain of labour, and to further the birth.Callimachus recorded the hymn:[28]

Even so again, Eileithyia, come thou when Kykainis calls, to bless her pains with easy birth; so may thy fragrant shrine have, as now this offering for a girl, some other offering hereafter for a boy.

— Callimachus, Epigrams 54, translated by Mair[full citation needed]

She was strongly connected with the goddesses Artemis andHekate, sharing with the latter strong chthonic elements in her cult.[26]

Achaea

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Pausanias described a sanctuary to the goddess in the city ofAigion, and the cult associated with it: "At Aigion [in Akhaia] is an ancient sanctuary of Eileithyia, and her image is covered from head to foot with finely-woven drapery; it is of wood except the face, hands and feet, which are made of Pentelic marble. One hand is stretched out straight; the other holds up a torch. One might conjecture that torches are an attribute of Eileithyia because the pangs of women are just like fire. The torches might also be explained by the fact that it is Eileithyia who brings children to the light."[29]

Aside from the sanctuary in the city of Aigion, Pausanias also noted that there were temples to the goddess in the towns ofBoura[30] andPellene in Achaea.[31]

Arcadia

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Pausanias described two sanctuaries to the goddess in Arcadia, one in the town ofKleitor[32] and the other one in Tegea.[33] In Kleitor, she was worshipped as one of the most important deities, along with Demeter and Asklepios, and her sanctuary the most important one alongside the other two.[32]

Argos

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Offerings were often given to the goddess Eileithyia within the ten days following a child's birth[34] Pausanias describes a sanctuary to her in the city of Argos, and the myth associated with it: "Near the Lords [sanctuary of the Dioskouroi at Argos] is a sanctuary of Eilethyia, dedicated by Helene when, Theseus having gone away with Peirithous to Thesprotia, Aphidna had been captured by the Dioskouroi and Helen was being brought to Lakedaimon. For it is said that she was with child, was delivered in Argos, and founded the sanctuary of Eilethyia, giving the daughter she bore to Klytaimnestra, who was already wedded to Agamemnon."[35] Pausanias noted a shrine to her in Mycenae, and an important shrine in Mases in Argolis: "[At Mases, Argos] there is a sanctuary of Eileithyia within the wall. Every day, both with sacrifices and with incense, they magnificently propitiate the goddess, and, moreover, there is a vast number of votive gifts offered to Eileithyia. But the image no one may see, except, perhaps, the priestesses."[36]

Athens

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There were ancient icons of Eileithyia at Athens, one said to have been brought from Crete, according toPausanias, who mentioned shrines to Eileithyia inTegea[37] andArgos, with an extremely important shrine inAigion. Eileithyia, along with Artemis andPersephone, is often shown carrying torches to bring children out of darkness and into light: inRoman mythology her counterpart in easing labor isLucina ("of the light").[citation needed]

Pausanias noted:

[Near the Prytaneion or Town Hall of Athens] is a temple of Eileithyia, who they say came from the Hyperboreans to Delos and helped Leto in her labour; and from Delos the name spread to other peoples. The Delians sacrifice to Eileithyia and sing a hymn of Olen. But the Kretans suppose that Eileithyia was born at Amnisos in the Knossian territory [in Krete], and that Hera was her mother. Only among the Athenians are the wooden figures of Eileithyia draped to the feet. The women told me that two are Kretan, being offerings of Phaidra [daughter of the mythical King Minos of Krete], and that the third, which is the oldest, Erysikhthon [an early king of Athens] brought from Delos.[38]

Corinth

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Pausanias noted a sanctuary in Corinth: "When you have turned from the Akrokorinthos [at Korinthos] into the mountain road you see the Teneatic gate and a sanctuary of Eileithyia."[39]

Crete

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TheCave of Eileithyia nearAmnisos, the harbor ofKnossos, mentioned in theOdyssey (xix.189) in connection with her cult, was accounted the birthplace of Eileithyia.[40] In the river nearby also named Amnisos, lived nymphs that were sacred to Eileithyia named Amnisades and Amnisabes.[41] The Cretan cave has stalactites suggestive of the goddess' double form (Kerenyi 1976 fig. 6), of bringing labor on and of delaying it, and votive offerings to her have been found establishing the continuity of her cult from Neolithic times, with a revival as late as the Roman period.[42] Here she was probably being worshipped before Zeus arrived in the Aegean, but certainly in Minoan–Mycenaean times.[9] The goddess is mentioned asEleuthia in aLinear B fragment from Knossos, where it is stated that her temple is given an amphora of honey.[43] In the cave ofAmnisos (Crete) the god Enesidaon (the "earth shaker", who is the chthonicPoseidon) is related to the cult of Eileithyia.[44] She was related with the annual birth of the divine child.[45] The goddess of nature and her companion survived in theEleusinian cult, where the following words were uttered: "MightyPotnia bore a strong son."[46]

In classical times, there were shrines to Eileithyia in the Cretan cities ofLato andEleutherna and a sacred cave atInatos. At a sanctuary inTsoutsouros Inatos, two small terracotta figures, one breastfeeding and the other pregnant, have been dated to the 7th century.[25]

Delos

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According to theHomeric Hymn III toDelian Apollo, Hera detained Eileithyia, who was coming from theHyperboreans in the far north, to preventLeto from going into labor with Artemis and Apollo, since the father was her husband Zeus. Hera was jealous of Zeus's affairs and tended to enact revenge upon the women. The other goddesses present at the birthing on Delos had sentIris to bring Eileithyia forth. As she stepped upon the island, the birth began. This hymn is contradicted byHesiod'sTheogony, where Apollo and Artemis are born before Hera's marriage to Zeus, and therefore neither Hera or Eileithyia are mentioned interfering with the birth of the twins.[17] On Delos, a shrine was dedicated to Eileithyia, and was worshipped in a mid-winter festival the namedEileithyaea.[47] It was said byCallimachus that the hymn sung during festival was the same as that sung by nymphs at Apollo's birth. This cult likely goes back to the Archaic period, and the cult was associated with other local Delian childbirth deities associated with Artemis,Upis and Arge.[47]

Eretria

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Archaeologists uncovered a sanctuary dedicated to Eileithyia atEretria. The sanctuary had been placed in the northwestern section of agymnasium.[48][full citation needed]

Messene

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Pausanias noted that "The Messenians have a temple erected to Eileithyia [at Messene, Messenia] with a stone statue."[49]

Olympia

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On the Greek mainland, atOlympia, an archaic shrine with an innercella sacred to the serpent-savior of the city (Sosipolis) and to Eileithyia was seen by the traveler Pausanias in the 2nd century AD (Description of Greece vi.20.1–3); in it, a virgin-priestess cared for aserpent that was fed on honeyed barley-cakes and water—an offering suited to Demeter. The shrine memorialized the appearance of a crone with a babe in arms, at a crucial moment whenElians were threatened by forces fromArcadia. The child, placed on the ground between the contending forces, changed into a serpent, driving the Arcadians away in flight, before it disappeared into the hill.[19]

Paros

[edit]

Eileithyia had a cult south of the Mount Kounados on theCycladic Island ofParos, where a cave with a natural spring functioned as an informal sanctuary.[26] Numerous artifacts have been found, such as pottery, bronze pieces, and marble plaques, which indicate use of the site from theGeometric period to theRoman period.[26] It has been theorized that the site was used for prayers for both female and male fertility, based on the type of offerings that have been found.[50]

Sparta

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There was a sanctuary dedicated to Eileithyia near theSanctuary of Artemis Orthia,[25] which Pausanias noted: "Not far from Orthia [the temple of Artemis in Sparta, Lakedaimon] is a sanctuary of Eileithyia. They say that they built it, and came to worship Eileithyia as a goddess, because of an oracle from Delphoi."[51]

Syria

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Lucian, inOn the Syrian Goddess[52] said that there was a statue of Eilithyia in the temple ofHierapolis Bambyce, atManbij, inSyria.

Genealogy

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Eileithyia's family tree
UranusGaia
CronusRhea
ZeusHera
    a[53]
     b[54]
HebeAresEILEITHYIAHephaestus
Sosipolis

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^Joseph Emerson Worcester,A comprehensive dictionary of the English language, Boston, 1871,p. 480, rule 3, where he notes the word has four syllables as in Greek and Latin, "notI-lith-y-i'-a as inWalker" (e.g. Walker and Trollope,A key to the classical pronunciation etc., London, 1830,p. 123).
  2. ^abNilsson Vol I, p. 313
  3. ^Gantz, pp. 82–83.
  4. ^F.Schachermeyer(1967).Die Minoische Kultur des alten Kreta.Kohlhammer Verlag Stuttgart. pp. 141–142
  5. ^Pausanias, Description of Greece, 6.20
  6. ^"The Linear B word e-re-u-ti-ja".Palaeolexicon. Word study tool of Ancient languages.Raymoure, K. A."e-re-u-ti-ja".Minoan Linear A & Mycenaean Linear B. Deaditerranean. Archived fromthe original on 2016-03-18. Retrieved2014-03-13.
  7. ^R. S. P. Beekes,Etymological Dictionary of Greek, Brill, 2009, p. 383.
  8. ^Max Müller,Contributions to the Science of Mythology, Vol. 2, Kessinger Publishing, 2003 [1897], p. 697
  9. ^abWalter Burkert (1985) Greek Religion. Harvard University Pressp.171
  10. ^Nilsson, Vol I, p. 312
  11. ^"Cretan dialect 'Eleuthia' would connect Eileithyia (or perhaps the goddess "Eleutheria") toEleusis". Willets, p. 222.
  12. ^F.Schachermeyer (1967).Die Minoische Kultur des alten Kreta. Stuttgart: W. Kohlhammer. p. 141
  13. ^Nilsson Vol I, p. 312
  14. ^Willetts, R. F. (1958). "Cretan Eileithyia".The Classical Quarterly.8 (3–4):221–223.doi:10.1017/S0009838800021868.S2CID 246878304.
  15. ^Homer,Iliad16.187,19.103.
  16. ^Homer,Iliad11.270, The plural is also used atIliad19.119.
  17. ^abHesiod,Theogony912–923.
  18. ^Greek Anthology Book 6, 6.244
  19. ^abPausanias,6.20.
  20. ^Burkert, Walter (1987).Greek religion: archaic and classical. Blackwell.ISBN 0-631-15624-0.OCLC 1120879562.
  21. ^Graves, Robert (1955).The Greek Myths.
  22. ^Bank of Albania.Coin with "The Beauty of Durrës".Archived 2012-03-05 at theWayback Machine
  23. ^Callimachus Fr. 524:Εἰνατίην ὁμόδελφυν ἐπ᾿ ὠδίνεσσιν ἰδοῦσα.
  24. ^Olmos, p. 691.
  25. ^abcDillon, Matthew (2002).Girls and Women in Classical Greek Religion. Milton Park, Oxfordshire: Routledge. p. 230.
  26. ^abcdeWise, Susan (2007).Childbirth Votives and Rituals in Ancient Greece (PhD). University of Cincinnati.
  27. ^abTsoucalas, G.; Karamanou, M.; Sgantzos, M. (2014). "Midwifery in ancient Greece, midwife or gynaecologist-obstetrician?".Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.34 (6): 547.doi:10.3109/01443615.2014.911834.PMID 24832625.S2CID 207435300.
  28. ^Callimachus (1921)."Epigrams".Digital Loeb Classical Library.doi:10.4159/dlcl.callimachus-epigrams.1921. Retrieved2021-12-05.
  29. ^Pausanias,Description of Greece 7. 23. 5
  30. ^Pausanias,Description of Greece 7. 25. 9
  31. ^Pausanias,Description of Greece 7. 27. 7
  32. ^abPausanias,Description of Greece 8. 21. 3
  33. ^Pausanias,Description of Greece 8. 48. 7
  34. ^Sophocles (1894).The Plays and Fragments. Translated by Jebb, Richard C. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Part VI: The Electra.
  35. ^Pausanias,Description of Greece 2. 22. 6
  36. ^Pausanias,Description of Greece 2. 35. 11
  37. ^Pausanias,8.48.7 .
  38. ^Pausanias, Description of Greece 1. 18. 5 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.)
  39. ^Pausanias, Description of Greece 2. 5. 4
  40. ^Homer,Odyssey19.189.
  41. ^Smith, William (1854).Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography; Amni'sus. Walton and Maberly.
  42. ^For the proceedings and findings of the archaeology, seeAmnisos.
  43. ^Walter Burkert (1985).Greek Religion. Harvard University Press.p. 26
  44. ^Dietrich, pp.220–221.
  45. ^Dietrich,p. 109.
  46. ^Dietrich,p. 167
  47. ^abRobertson, N. (1974). "Greek Ritual Begging in Aid of Women's Fertility and Childbirth".Transactions of the American Philological Association.113:143–169.doi:10.2307/284008.JSTOR 284008.
  48. ^"Ancient Gymnasium Uncovered on Greek Island of Evia"
  49. ^Pausanias,Description of Greece 4. 31. 9
  50. ^MacLachlan, B (2009). "Ritual and the Performance of Identity: Women and Gender in the Ancient World".Journal of Women's History.23 (4):176–186.doi:10.1353/jowh.2011.0052.S2CID 144513687.
  51. ^Pausanias,Description of Greece 3. 17. 1
  52. ^Lucian, On the Syrian Goddess section 38
  53. ^According toHomer,Iliad1.570–579,14.338,Odyssey8.312, Hephaestus was apparently the son of Hera and Zeus, see Gantz, p. 74.
  54. ^According toHesiod,Theogony927–929, Hephaestus was produced by Hera alone, with no father, see Gantz, p. 74.

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