Hecalē epyllion by the Hellenistic Greek poet Callimachus, describing how Theseus was once hospitably entertained by a poor old woman of this name while on his way to kill the bull of Marathon. The poem was intended to explain the name and cult of the Attic deme of Hecale.
Hecale
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In Greek mythology, Hecale was an old woman who offered succor to Theseus on his way to capture the Marathonian Bull.
On the way to Marathon to capture the Bull, Theseus sought shelter from a storm in a shack owned by an ancient lady named Hecale. She swore to make a sacrifice to Zeus if Theseus was successful in capturing the bull. Theseus did capture the bull but when he returned to Hecale's hut, she was dead. Theseus built a deme in her honor.
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 | Callimachus (fl. c.280–45 B.C., Hellenistic Greek poet and critic) |
| Heliconius hecale |
| Thēseus |
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 | Classical Literature Companion. The Concise Oxford Companion to Classical Literature. Copyright © 1993, 2003 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. Read more |
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Mentioned in
- Callimachus (fl. c.280–45 B.C., Hellenistic Greek poet and critic)
- Heliconius hecale
- Thēseus
- Heliconius
