Aglaurus

Role: mythological figure · First appears: Book 1 · Chapter 2

In Book 1, Chapter 2, Aglaurus is named as a daughter of Cecrops, alongside her sisters Erse and Pandrosus and her brother Erysichthon. In Chapter 18, Athene entrusted Erichthonius to Aglaurus and her sisters in a chest, forbidding them to look inside. Aglaurus and Erse opened it; seeing Erichthonius, they went mad and threw themselves down the Acropolis.

In Chapter 38, after Eumolpus’s death, heralds disputed the parentage of Ceryx, claiming that he was the son of Hermes and Aglaurus, daughter of Cecrops, rather than Eumolpus.

Relationship record

Life events

• Athene entrusted Erichthonius to three sisters in a forbidden chest.(Book 1 · Chapter 18)
  • With: Athene Erse Pandrosus Erichthonius
  • “Athene gave Erichthonius, after putting him in a chest and forbidding them to pry into the contents.”
• Aglaurus and Erse opened the chest, went mad, and threw themselves down the Acropolis.(Book 1 · Chapter 18 · 📍 Acropolis)
  • With: Erse Erichthonius
  • “the other two opened the chest, and went mad when they saw Erichthonius, and threw themselves down the Acropolis at the very steepest place.”
• Heralds disputed Ceryx’s paternity, claiming Hermes and Aglaurus were his parents.(Book 1 · Chapter 38)
  • With: Ceryx Eumolpus Hermes
  • “who (the heralds say) was not the son of Eumolpus at all, but the son of Hermes by Aglaurus the daughter of Cecrops.”

Book 1 · Chapter 2

• parent: Cecrops (first king of Athens) “he had three daughters, Erse, and Aglaurus, and Pandrosus, and one son, Erysichthon”
• siblings with Erse (Both were daughters of Cecrops.) “he had three daughters, Erse, and Aglaurus, and Pandrosus, and one son, Erysichthon.”
• siblings with Pandrosus (Both were daughters of Cecrops.) “he had three daughters, Erse, and Aglaurus, and Pandrosus, and one son, Erysichthon.”
• siblings with Erysichthon (Both were children of Cecrops.) “he had three daughters, Erse, and Aglaurus, and Pandrosus, and one son, Erysichthon.”

Book 1 · Chapter 18

• siblings with Erse “And above the temple of the Dioscuri is the grove of Aglaurus, to whom and to her sisters Erse and Pandrosus they say Athene gave Erichthonius, after putting him in a chest and forbidding them to pry into the contents.”
• siblings with Pandrosus “And above the temple of the Dioscuri is the grove of Aglaurus, to whom and to her sisters Erse and Pandrosus they say Athene gave Erichthonius, after putting him in a chest and forbidding them to pry into the contents.”
• guardian: Athene “And above the temple of the Dioscuri is the grove of Aglaurus, to whom and to her sisters Erse and Pandrosus they say Athene gave Erichthonius, after putting him in a chest and forbidding them to pry into the contents.”
• ward: Erichthonius (Aglaurus was entrusted with Erichthonius together with her sisters.) “to whom and to her sisters Erse and Pandrosus they say Athene gave Erichthonius, after putting him in a chest and forbidding them to pry into the contents.”

Book 1 · Chapter 38

• child: Ceryx (The heralds' account gives Aglaurus as Ceryx's mother.) “But on the death of Eumolpus Ceryx the youngest son was the only one left, who (the heralds say) was not the son of Eumolpus at all, but the son of Hermes by Aglaurus the daughter of Cecrops.”
• parent: Cecrops (first king of Athens) “but the son of Hermes by Aglaurus the daughter of Cecrops.”

⭐ Constellation map → · 📖 Read the original → · 🗂 Character index → · 🕰 Chronicle → · 📍 Places →

Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.