Document belonging to the Greek Mythology Link, a web site created by Carlos Parada, author of Genealogical Guide to Greek Mythology
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Eos
Ἠώς

Eos. print005: John Gibson 1790-1866: Sculpture of Aurora (1849). Drawing by Sig. Guglielmi.

Eos is Dawn, a goddess perpetually in love.

Shiny offspring

The offspring of the TITANS Hyperion 1 and Thia are those who shine both on earth and heaven, for one of their children is called Helius (Sun), another Selene (Moon), and yet another Eos (Dawn). Eos consorted with Astraeus 1, the son of the Titan Crius 1 and Eurybia 1, daughter of Pontus (Sea) and Gaia (Earth). They gave birth to the WINDS and to the stars, among which Eosphorus (see below).

Tithonus 1

Eos also fell in love with Tithonus 1, and carried him away, bringing him to Eastern Ethiopia where he founded Susa. But Tithonus 1, son of King Laomedon 1 of Troy (son of Ilus 2, the founder of Troy, son of Tros 1, after whom the Trojans are called, son of Erichthonius 1, son of Dardanus 1, son of Zeus and the Pleiad Electra 3), was a mortal man, and on account of this disgrace, Eos asked Zeus that Tithonus 1 should be deathless and live eternally. But on asking this favor, she forgot to ask youth for him. So at first, they lived as enthusiastic lovers live, but when his hair became grey, Eos grew tired of sleeping with him, and in spite of she cherishing him and nourishing him with ambrosia, Old Age came upon him, and gradually hardening its grip on him, made so that he could not move his limbs nor do anything except babble endlessly. Yet others affirm that she always loved him, and that she never was ashamed of sleeping with and old man, and kiss his hoary hair.

Always in love

Eos also carried off Cephalus 2, the son of Hermes and Herse 2 (see also Envy) or, as some say, the son of Hermes and Creusa 1, daughter of King Erechtheus of Athens, and took him to Syria. And Eos is also known for having been the lover of Orion. Because of this particular affair Artemis killed Orion, the reason being (they say) that the gods were jealous because Orion had become her lover. But this rosy-fingered, saffron-robed, golden-throned goddess, who goes up to Olympus to announce the light to the immortals, was caused by Aphrodite to be perpetually in love for having lain with the latter's sweetheart, Ares.


Family 

Parentage

Mates

Offspring

Notes

Hyperion 1 & Thia

 

Hyperion 1, one of the TITANS, is a bringer of light. Some have said that he was the first to understand the movement of the sun, moon and stars. By his sister and wife Thia ( sometimes called Euryphaessa) he had also other children: Helius, Selene, and Titan, after whom the place Titane near Corinth was named. Some say that Titan was the father of Asteria 1, whom Zeus turned into a quail.

Tithonus 1

Emathion 1

Emathion 1 has been called king of the Ethiopians. He was killed by Heracles 1 when the latter was journeying in Arabia.


Memnon

Memnon was king of the Eastern Ethiopians. He came with a poweful army to fight against the Achaeans in the Trojan War. Memnon is said by some to have killed at Troy Antilochus, son of Nestor. He also slew the Pylians Pheron and Ereuthus who had followed Nestor to Troy. Memnon was himself killed by Achilles, but was made immortal by Zeus at his mother's request. He is buried in the neighborhood of Paltus in Syria.

Astraeus 1


Astraea / Dike

Astraea, who sometimes is said to be the daughter of Zeus and Themis, is Justice. She lived on earth during the Golden Age, but left when the Iron Age came, being the last of the immortals to do so. The same is said about Dike (Justice), except that she left the earth and went to heaven already when the Race of Bronze was born.


Zephyrus 1

For Zephyrus 1, Notus, Boreas 1, and Eurus see WINDS.

Notus


Boreas 1

Eurus

Eosphorus

Eosphorus brings the Dawn, and he is both the morning and the evening star.

Cephalus 2

Tithonus 2

Some say Phaethon 1 is son of Tithonus 2. Others call him son of Cephalus 2 and Hemera (Day).

Phaethon 1

Phaethon 1 was ravished by Aphrodite, and made a keeper of her shrine.

Orion

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The gods were jealous of Orion because he was Eos' lover, and for that, it is said, Artemis killed him.


Ares

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For loving this god, Eos was caused by Aphrodite to be perpetually in love.


Genealogical Charts

Names in this chart: Adonis, Aphrodite, Ares, Astraea, Astraeus 1, Astynous 1, Cephalus 2, Cinyras 1, Emathion 1, Eos, Eosphorus, Gaia, Helius, Hermes, Hyperion 1, Laomedon 1, Megassares, Memnon, Orion, Phaethon 1, Pharnace, Sandocus, Selene, Thia, Titan, Tithonus 1, Tithonus 2, Uranus, WINDS.


Related sections Eos in GROUPS: PERSONIFICATIONS, TITANS  
Sources
Abbreviations

Apd.1.2.2, 1.4.4, 3.12.4-5, 3.14.3; Hes.The.372, 378ff., 984, 986; Hom.Il.11.1; Hom.Od.5.121; Hyg.Ast.2.25; Nonn.5.516, 6.33ff.; Ov.Fast.5.159; Ov.Met.1.149; Prop.2.18.