Arethusa

Role: mythical huntress and spring · First appears: Book 5 · Chapter 7

Arethusa hunted with Alpheus, who was enamoured of her, but she was unwilling to marry him. At Ortygia, she became a spring while Alpheus became a river. Later, the story still told that Alpheus loved her.

Relationship record

Life events

• Arethusa refused Alpheus, crossed to Ortygia, and became a spring while Alpheus became a river.(Book 5 · Chapter 7 · 📍 Ortygia)
  • With: Alpheus
  • “And as Arethusa was unwilling to marry him, she crossed over they say to an island near Syracuse, called Ortygia, and there became a spring: just as Alpheus in consequence of his love was changed into a river.”

Book 5 · Chapter 7

• courtship with Alpheus “And there are several traditions about the Alpheus, as that he was a hunter and enamoured of Arethusa, and that she hunted with him. And as Arethusa was unwilling to marry him, she crossed over they say to an island near Syracuse, called Ortygia, and there became a spring: just as Alpheus in consequence of his love was changed into a river.”

Book 7 · Chapter 23

• courtship with Alpheus “as the story goes about Alpheus that he still loved Arethusa”
• admirer: Alpheus “as the story goes about Alpheus that he still loved Arethusa”

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