Erichthonius, Attic hero and mythical king of Athens, usually said to be the son of Hephaestus, whose semen fell upon the earth as he struggled to ravish Athena. Gaia (Earth) gave birth to the child and Athena took him and hid him in a chest which she gave to the daughters of Cecrops, king of Athens, to guard, instructing them not to open it. They disobeyed, and terrified by what they saw (either the child in serpent form or attended by serpents), leaped from the Acropolis to their deaths. Erichthonius became king of Athens and received from Athena two drops of the Gorgon's blood, one of which poisoned and the other healed. He was later worshipped at Athens in the form of a serpent. In some stories his son and successor is Pandion.
Erichthonius
| Classical Literature Companion: Erichthonius |
| Columbia Encyclopedia: Erichthonius |
Erichthonius (ĕrĕkthō'nēəs), in Greek mythology, son of Hephaestus and Athena, half man and half serpent. After his birth Athena concealed him in a chest that she gave to the daughters of Cecrops to keep. They opened it and were so frightened by Erichthonius' shape that they killed themselves. Athena then reared him among the gods. He is often confused with Erechtheus.
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| Erechtheus (in Greek Mythology) |
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