Erysichthon

Erysichthon Sells His Daughter Mestra. Engraving by Bauer^[which?]

In Greek mythology, King Erysichthon (also spelled Erisichthon, both of which translate as "Earth-tearer") of Thessaly was the son of Triopas. He cut down trees in a grove, sacred to Demeter; and cutting it down he killed a dryad nymph. Demeter punished him by placing Aethon, the god of famine, in his stomach, giving him insatiable hunger. He sold all his possessions, including his daughter, Mestra, to buy food, but was still hungry. Mestra was freed from slavery by Poseidon, who gave her the gift of shape-shifting to escape her bonds. Erysichthon sold her numerous times to make money to feed himself. Eventually, Erysichthon ate himself in hunger.

Ovid. Metamorphoses VIII, 738-878.

There was another Erysichthon, the son of King Cecrops I of Athens and Agraulus, of whom it is only known that he died childless during his father's reign.

External links

• Erysichthon at pantheon.org