Eunostus (hero)
Encyclopedia
In Greek mythology
, Eunostus was a hero
of Tanagra
, Boeotia
. His parents were Elieus, son of Cephissus
, and Scias. He was said to have received his name from the nymph
Eunosta who reared him.
The story of Eunostus' death, related by Plutarch with a reference to the poetess Myrtis of Anthedon, is as follows. Ochne, a daughter of Colonus and cousin of Eunostus, fell in love with him, but he rejected her advances and was going to report the matter to her brothers, Echemus, Leon and Bucolus. She forestalled him by telling her brothers that Eunostus had taken her by force; they laid an ambush against Eunostus and killed him. Elieus seized the murderers of his son and put them in bonds. Then Ochne, overcome with remorse, confessed to Elieus that her accusations were false. Colonus, who judged the matter, sent his sons into exile, and Ochne committed suicide by throwing herself off a height.
Plutarch further relates that there was a sanctuary of Eunostus in Tanagra, and that women were not allowed to enter the precinct, not even in emergency cases like earthquakes.
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
, Eunostus was a hero
Hero
A hero , in Greek mythology and folklore, was originally a demigod, their cult being one of the most distinctive features of ancient Greek religion...
of Tanagra
Tanagra
Tanagra is a town and a municipality north of Athens in Boeotia, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Schimatari. It is not far from Thebes, and it was noted in antiquity for the figurines named after it...
, Boeotia
Boeotia
Boeotia, also spelled Beotia and Bœotia , is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Greece. It was also a region of ancient Greece. Its capital is Livadeia, the second largest city being Thebes.-Geography:...
. His parents were Elieus, son of Cephissus
Cephissus (Boeotia)
The northern Cephissus river or Cephisus rises at Lilaea in Phocis and flows by Delphi through Boeotia and eventually issues into Lake Copais which is therefore also called the Cephisian Lake...
, and Scias. He was said to have received his name from the nymph
Nymph
A nymph in Greek mythology is a female minor nature deity typically associated with a particular location or landform. Different from gods, nymphs are generally regarded as divine spirits who animate nature, and are usually depicted as beautiful, young nubile maidens who love to dance and sing;...
Eunosta who reared him.
The story of Eunostus' death, related by Plutarch with a reference to the poetess Myrtis of Anthedon, is as follows. Ochne, a daughter of Colonus and cousin of Eunostus, fell in love with him, but he rejected her advances and was going to report the matter to her brothers, Echemus, Leon and Bucolus. She forestalled him by telling her brothers that Eunostus had taken her by force; they laid an ambush against Eunostus and killed him. Elieus seized the murderers of his son and put them in bonds. Then Ochne, overcome with remorse, confessed to Elieus that her accusations were false. Colonus, who judged the matter, sent his sons into exile, and Ochne committed suicide by throwing herself off a height.
Plutarch further relates that there was a sanctuary of Eunostus in Tanagra, and that women were not allowed to enter the precinct, not even in emergency cases like earthquakes.