Chione

Chione is the name of two women in Greek mythology. The better-known story belongs to Chione, the daughter of Daedalion, who was loved by both Hermes and Apollo and was killed by Artemis. The other Chione was a daughter of Boreas, the North Wind, and the mother of Eumolpus by Poseidon. Her name is the Greek word for “snow”.

Chione, daughter of Daedalion

Ovid tells her story in the voice of Ceyx, who speaks of his brother Daedalion. Daedalion was a son of the Morning Star, fierce in war and ready for violence, while Ceyx himself loved peace. Daedalion’s daughter Chione was so beautiful that she had a thousand suitors by the age of fourteen (Metamorphoses 11.291–302).

Hermes and Apollo

Apollo and Hermes, returning from Delphi and from Mount Cyllene, both saw her and both desired her. Apollo put off his hopes until night, but Hermes would not wait; he touched the girl’s face with his wand, and she fell asleep and was forced by the god. When night had spread the stars across the sky, Apollo took the shape of an old woman and took his own pleasure (Ovid, Metamorphoses 11.303–310).

When her time came, she bore twins. Hermes was the father of Autolycus, who was clever in every sort of theft and could make white of black and black of white. Apollo was the father of Philammon, famous for his singing and his lyre (Ovid, Metamorphoses 11.311–317). Homer too says that Autolycus excelled all men in thieving and oaths, a gift of Hermes (Odyssey 19.394–397); he is also the grandfather of Odysseus on his mother’s side.

Chione’s death

According to Ovid, Chione was too proud of having pleased two gods and borne two sons. She dared to put herself above Artemis and found fault with the goddess’s looks. Artemis, in anger, bent her bow and shot an arrow through Chione’s tongue; Chione could not speak again and died (Metamorphoses 11.321–327).

Daedalion

Her father mourned like a rock under the waves. When he saw her body on the pyre he tried four times to throw himself into the flames and was driven back each time. He ran off like a young bull stung by hornets, so fast that he seemed to have wings on his feet, and reached the top of Mount Parnassus, where he threw himself from a high rock. Apollo pitied him, changed him into a bird as he fell, and held him up on sudden wings, giving him a hooked beak and curved talons. Ovid calls him a hawk; it was now cruel to all other birds and caused grief to others as it had suffered itself (Metamorphoses 11.328–345).

Chione, daughter of Boreas

When Boreas carried off Oreithyia from the banks of the Ilissus, she bore him two daughters, Cleopatra and Chione, and two winged sons, Zetes and Calais (Apollodorus, Library 3.15.2). Chione had intercourse with Poseidon and gave birth to Eumolpus in secret, so as not to be discovered by her father, and threw the child into the sea. Poseidon picked him up and took him to Ethiopia, where he gave him to his own daughter Benthesicyme to bring up (Apollodorus, Library 3.15.4). Pausanias also gives Eumolpus as the son of Poseidon and Chione, and Chione as the daughter of Boreas and Oreithyia (Description of Greece 1.38.2).

Chione Sources

Ovid, Metamorphoses 11.291–345; Homer, Odyssey 19.394–397; Apollodorus, Library 3.15.2, 3.15.4; Pausanias 1.38.2.

See Also: Apollo, Hermes, Autolycus, Artemis, Boreas, Poseidon