Apollo and Cyrene
Written by Lady Scholastica Joycors
based on the works of the 9th Pindarian Ode
HYPSEUS WAS THE PROUD KING of Lapithae and Khildanope, the son of the river-god Peneus and with his wife the naiad Childanope they had four daughters; Cyrene, Themisto, Alcaea and Astyagyia. It was his daughter Cyrene who the king was most fond, but she was not like her sisters for she hated embroidery and working at the loom and didn’t care for merry banquets like her sisters or other maidens her age. In truth she wanted to be a great warrior like her father and was proficient in the use of brazen darts, falchion swords as well as archery.
Hypseus decided to put his daughter in charge of his cattle and sheep knowing that she would be a great protectress. Cyrene took her job seriously slaying any predator, mortal and supernatural alike, who posed a threat to the herds and flocks. She proved to be such a deadly efficient guardian that all the cattle and the sheep completely trusted her with their safety, and she had no qualms with driving them to dangerous places so she could hunt and kill more dangerous monsters. She loved being out in the wild where she could slay the fierce beasts of prey, and avoid all the pleasantries of court life. She wasted little time in sleep to assure that her father’s cattle had deep and perfect sleep in the night.
Her extraordinary hunting skills caught the attention of Artemis who sent two large wild boars towards the herd to see how she would handle the attack. Cyrene quickly drew her bow and hit the first one with her arrow square between the eyes and downed and as the second came rushing toward her she drew her sword and slashed off its head. Artemis walked towards Cyrene as she began to dress the boar and said, “I have watched you for some time Cyrene and your abilities with a bow rival my own and for that I would gift you with these fine hunting dogs for your keen skills. Tell me child is this the life you wish for?”
Cyrene dropped her head in reverence to the goddess and said, “Mighty Artemis, I am honored by your gift of such fine hounds they will be most useful in my job of caring for the herd. I have thought many times of things I can think of nothing I would rather do than hunt and care for my father’s herds. Right now, this makes me happy.”
“Would you not like to spend it better in my company as one of my Hunters?” said Artemis.
“I thank you for your kind offer Artemis, but I still wish to be married one day and that would not be possible if I was one of your hunters, but I am honored that you find me worthy of such a position,” replied Cyrene a little unsettled at turning down an opportunity from a goddess.
Artemis just smiled, “As you wish dear Cyrene, but if you should change your mind, you need only call my name and it will be so.” With that Artemis walked towards the forest and disappeared.
Cyrene was overcome by the offer from the goddess and made an offering of one of the boars to the goddess. With her new hunting dogs, Cyrene became a deadlier warrior, to the point where all the local predators steered clear of her and the animals under her watch. Under her care her father’s herds grew large and fat because they felt safe in her care.
Unknown to Cyrene, Apollo had been talking with Artemis about her recent adventures and she told him all about her interactions with Cyrene. This perked the young gods interest and so he decided to visit the last place Artemis had seen her. Apollo perched himself on the hillside of Mount Pelion to watch her about the same time as Cyrene noticed a lion stalking her herd. Cyrene did not have her weapons close at hand but knew if she did not take immediate action she could lose a member of her herd. She jumped up and rushed forward towards the mighty lion and began wrestling with it without spears or weapons of any kind.
Apollo was Instantly enthralled with desire for Cyrene and did not know how to deal with the passion he was feeling so he immediately called for Chiron, the centaur, “Son of Philyra,” Apollo cried. “Leave your hallowed cave and come look with wonder at this woman's spirit and mighty power. See what a contest she is waging, —this maiden with a heart which nothing can subdue, and a mind that fear cannot overwhelm.”
Apollo continued to look at the battle in front of him with awe and could hardly breath as he watched Cyrene begin to choke the lion. Then he continued questioning Chiron without letting him answer, “From what mortal being was she born? Why is she living in the hollows of the shadowy mountains all alone? I cannot believe the inexhaustible test of strength she is showing. Would it be proper as a god for me to take her as my own? Aye, spend time with her, to cull the honey-sweet flower of love? "
When Apollo finally stopped speaking and seeing the rapture that filled the young gods heart Chiron, chuckled softly began to unfold his counsel to him.
"0 Phoebus! Secrets are the keys of wise Persuasion, that unlocks the shrine of love; and, among gods and men alike, do they shun to enter for the first time the sweet bridal-bed in the light of day? For you, who cannot lawfully breathe a lie, have been tempted by your pleasant mood to conceal in your words. Are you asking, O king, where this maid was born? You who know of all things, and all the ways that lead to it, the number of the leaves that the earth produces each spring, the number of the sands, in the sea and the rivers, that are driven before the waves and the rushing winds, and that which is to be, and when it is to come ‚ all of this you can clearly see. But, if I must measure myself against one that is wise, I must then tell you the thoughts you already know but cannot speak.”
Apollo shook his head to acknowledge the truths which he had heard and sat in anticipation of hearing his thoughts put into words. Chiron placed his hand on Apollo’s shoulder and with a smile said, “You should go quickly to this glade to be her wedded lord, and you shall bear her over the sea to the choicest garden of Zeus, where you shall make her the queen of the city. When you have gathered the island folk around the plain-encircled hill; you shall make her queen of Libya amid her broad meadows and give a kindly welcome to your glorious bride. Even now Libya will open the doors of her golden palace to your bride, and she will give her a portion of the world to possess by right, abounding in all fruits and every beast of the wild.”
“Once you are wed she shall bear you a son, who glorious Hermes shall take from his mother's womb and bear away to the enthroned Hours and to Mother-Earth ; and they will place the babe upon their laps, and drop nectar and ambrosia on his lips, and shall make him a god and you will name him Aristaeus.”
Chiron then encourage Apollo to accomplish the sweet fulfilment of wedlock. Apollo did not need much encouragement from Chiron to return to where he found Cyrene and the dead lion. He appeared to her in all his majesty and spent time courting her with praises of her virtues, even with the promise of a kingdom of her own to rule if she would go with him. Cyrene was intrigued by Apollo's handsomeness and his sweet words, she agreed to go with him.
Apollo then summoned his cart of gold and carried all off from the windswept glens of Pelion, and took them away, a huntress maiden and her two hounds, to a land rich in flocks and fruits, so she might be queen over the land and find a home in the fair and flourishing land of Libya. Swift is the achievement, short are the ways of gods, when bent on speed and soon they arrived in Libya where silver-footed Aphrodite was there to welcome them, and with a light hand, she touched the divine cart and shed a charming coyness on their union sweet, blending- the bonds of mutual wedlock of the god Apollo to the maiden-daughter Cyrene of daughter of King Hypseus.
The two of them enjoyed an intense and passionate love and thanks to the Oracles spreading the word of a new queen it was not long before an entire colony of Greeks came to thrive in her new home which Apollo named Cyrene. The people build an elaborate and important temple to Apollo. Cyrene bore Apollo two sons the first being named Aristaeus just as Chiron had told him and he was nurtured by Hermes and became the god of beekeeping and cheese making and her second son, Idmon became a seer who saw his own heroic death.
The city thrived and Cyrene was happy until her children grew up, her faithful dogs passed away and as it is with all gods Apollo grew bored and his visits became less and less. Cyrene felt the need to travel back to Thessaly one more time to visit her family and friends. When she finally reached Thessaly, it was nothing like she remembered it had irrevocably changed. Her father had died and the new king of Lapiths wanted nothing to do with her. When Cyrene went looking for the rest of her family and friends they were either married, didn’t recognize her or had died because of the harsh life the people in the land led.
Cyrene became disheartened and traveled back to the old paths where she had pastured the sheep and cattle and while she was there she found Ares. Being the god of war, they engaged in battle which unexpectedly turned into them becoming passionate lovers and the consequence of that union created a son who they named Diomedes, who would one day become the King of Thrace.
Eventually Ares left and Cyrene returned to Libya and found Apollo waiting for her at the exact same spot where they had first landed many years ago. The two of them spent much time in talk and realized that their time as husband and wife was at an end. Apollo said, “Know that I will always love you but it is time for our union to end.”
Cyrene tried to tell him about her encounter with Ares, but he simply said that she owed him no explanation, it was his fault for not being around. Cyrene was relieved as she was ready for a peaceful and quiet life, she then said, “Apollo I belong here and from here I will never more roam.”
When he heard her words, Apollo transformed Cyrene into the patron naiad of her city and promised her that her new state of existence guaranteed her exceptionally long life, peace, and good health. With that their romance ended and Cyrene lived a very long life and ruled her country well till the day she left to live out the rest of her days with the other naiads in the nearby rivers, where it is said her son Aristaeus once visited her for advice.
Listen to the whole tale on the podcasts Gods and Heroes of Ancient Greece - episode 169 narrated by MyLinda Butterworth. https://youtu.be/oZ4_REajfhs
©2022 MyLinda Butterworth (scholastica.ppa@gmail.com) This article first appeared in The Yeoman - September 2022
Permission is granted for republication in SCA-related publications, provided the author is credited and receives a copy.
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