Cyrene

Lapith princess, lion-wrestler, eponym of the Greek polis of Cyrene in Libya. The Pindaric narrative in Pythian 9 — composed for the Cyrenean victor Telesicrates ~474 BCE — is the major source for both the lion-wrestling episode and the Apollo-abduction. The historical foundation of Cyrene (~630 BCE) provides the eponymous-mother tradition with its civic anchor: the goddess (later) of the historical city was identified with Apollo's mortal Lapith-bride.

Parentage

• parent: Hypseus

Children

• Aristaeus

Domains

• hunting
• city founding

Powers

• Slay wild beasts guarding the herds with javelin and sword
• Wrestle and overpower a lion with her bare hands

Relations

• lover: ApolloPind. Pyth. 9.5-65 (primary)
• mother of: AristaeusApollod. 3.10.2 (primary)

Sources

• existence: Pindar Pythian 9 (the major narrative source); Apollodorus 3.10.1-2; Diodorus 4.81; Hyginus Fabulae 161; Justin 13.7 (primary)