Ilithyia
Also known as: Ilithyias · Role: goddess · First appears: Book 1 · Chapter 18
In Book 1, Ilithyia is said to have come from the Hyperborean regions to assist Leto during childbirth. The Cretans instead say she was born at Amnisus and was the daughter of Hera. Delian worshippers sacrifice to her and sing Olen’s hymn at her altar; her statues include offerings by Phædra and one brought from Delos by Erysichthon.
In Book 6, after the battle, a temple was built for joint worship of Ilithyia and Sosipolis. At Ægium in Book 7, Damophon made her statue, and another account describes her statue among those made by Euclides. In Book 8, Olen identifies her with Fate, says she is older than Cronos, and calls her Eulinus; Homer says there are several Ilithyias but does not give their number. In Book 9, a hymn to Ilithyia says she was the mother of Eros.
Relationship record
Life events
- Ilithyia came from the Hyperborean regions to assist Leto during childbirth.(Book 1 · Chapter 18 · 📍 Hyperborean regions)
- With: Leto
- “Ilithyia, who they say came from the Hyperborean regions to assist Leto in her travail-throes”
- A temple was built to worship Sosipolis and Ilithyia jointly.(Book 6 · Chapter 20)
- With: Sosipolis
- “they built a temple, and resolved to worship it and Ilithyia jointly”
- Damophon created the statue of Ilithyia.(Book 7 · Chapter 23 · 📍 Ægium)
- With: Damophon
- “The statue is by the Messenian Damophon.”
- Olen identifies Ilithyia with Fate, declares her older than Cronos, and calls her Eulinus.(Book 8 · Chapter 21)
Book 1 · Chapter 18
- with Leto (Ilithyia assisted Leto during childbirth.) “And next is a temple erected to Ilithyia, who they say came from the Hyperborean regions to assist Leto in her travail-throes, and of whom other nations learnt from the people of Delos, who sacrifice to her and sing at her altar the Hymn of Olen.”
- parent: Hera “But the Cretans consider her to have been born at Amnisus in Gnossian territory, and to have been the daughter of Hera.”
- with Erysichthon (Erysichthon brought the oldest statue of Ilithyia from Delos.) “Two of her statues the women said were Cretan and votive offerings of Phædra, while the oldest was brought by Erysichthon from Delos.”
- with Olen (A hymn by Olen was sung at Ilithyia's altar.) “who sacrifice to her and sing at her altar the Hymn of Olen.”
- with Phædra (Phædra dedicated votive offerings to Ilithyia.) “Two of her statues the women said were Cretan and votive offerings of Phædra”
Book 6 · Chapter 20
- with Sosipolis (Jointly worshipped deities.) “they built a temple, and resolved to worship it and Ilithyia jointly”
Book 7 · Chapter 23
- with Damophon (Damophon made the statue of Ilithyia.) “The statue is by the Messenian Damophon.”
Book 7 · Chapter 25
- with Euclides (Euclides made the statue.) “There are temples here to Demeter, and Aphrodite, and Dionysus, and Ilithyia. Their statues are of Pentelican marble by the Athenian Euclides.”
Book 8 · Chapter 21
- with Homer (Homer states that there are several Ilithyias.) “Homer says there are several Ilithyias, but does not specify their number.”
- with Olen (Olen wrote hymns to Ilithyia.) “But the Lycian Olen, who was earlier than Homer, and wrote Hymns to Ilithyia and for the Delians, says that she was the same as Fate, and older than Cronos.”
- with Fate (Ilithyia is identified as Fate.) “says that she was the same as Fate, and older than Cronos.”
- with Cronos (Ilithyia is described as older than Cronos.) “says that she was the same as Fate, and older than Cronos.”
- with Eulinus (Eulinus is another name used for Ilithyia.) “And he calls her Eulinus.”
Book 9 · Chapter 27
- child: Eros “says in his Hymn to Ilithyia that she was the mother of Eros.”
- with Olen (interaction) “the Lycian Olen, who wrote the most ancient Hymns of the Greeks, says in his Hymn to Ilithyia”
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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.