Favorite mythological love story

fairywings

New Member
Although they mostly end tragically, what is your favorite mythological love story? There are so many, it is difficult to choose just one! I like the story of Apollo.
 

RLynn

Active Member
The legend of Damon and Pythias. Not exactly a romantic love story, but a love story about two men, each of whom was willing to die for the other. Powerful and inspiring, a lesson about the true meaning of love.
 

Nadai

Active Member
It's hard to pick one... my top three favorites are: Apollo and Daphne, Cephalus and Procris, and Eros and Psyche.
 

Nadai

Active Member
Hi Nadai. Could you give a brief summary of Cephalus and Procris? I'm not familiar with this one. Thanks!
It's told best in my opinion by Ovid in Metamorphosis (of course;):D).
Cephalus is sitting around having drinks with several friends of his when one notices his spear-a gift from the gods. I can't recall the name of the spear (it's the one that never misses its target). He tells his friend how much he wished he'd never gotten it and how he would trade the spear for his wife's soul if he could.
Cephalus and Procris were married very young, but he loved his wife very dearly and she loved him very much as well. One day when Cephalus was out hunting (he preffered to hunt alone) the goddess Dawn saw him and kidnapped him. She fell in love with him and kept him in her home for a very long time. The entire time in her company however, he talked constantly of his love for his wife. So much so that she sent him away. But before he went, she asked him if his wife had been as faithful as him. She told him that it was quite likely that, in the time he was absent from her, she'd probably found herself a new husband. He defended her honour, but thought to test her anyway. He asked Dawn to help him find out whether she had been faithful so Dawn changed his appearance entirely so that when he returned to his kingdom, none of his servants recognized him. He enquired about his lady and the servants told him that the queen had been in mourning since the loss of her husband. He was pleased to hear this, but continued to test her. He went to her and made an offer to her telling her that her husband was dead and that she would never see him again. She refused him, which pleased him, but he continued to test her. He began giving her gifts of gold and jewels and fine clothes and eventually she wore down and agreed. In that moment Dawn restored his appearance and he jumped out with his big "I GOTTCHA!" Obviously she was happy to see him alive, but she was so distraught at his trick that she ran away. She went to the palace of King Minos and while she was there the king (also smitten with her) gave her two gifts: a dog that always caught its prey and a spear that never missed its mark (both blessed by the gods). Eventually she forgave her husband and returned home. Cephalus promised to be a better husband and they lived in bliss for a while. Unfortunately nothing lasts forever.
One day Cephalus was out hunting (alone) with his new dog and spear when a servant stumbled upon him. She saw him laying in the grass and heard him speaking: "Come to me O breeze". The servant assumed he was reffering to the goddess Dawn (it was common knowledge now that she'd taken him and was in love with him) so she reported back to her mistress that he was caught in another love affair. In actuality he was calling for the actual breeze. He was hot and was asking the breeze to come and cool his face. The next day when he went to hunt, Procris followed him and hid behind a bush. She heard him make the same comment and knew that it must be as the servant had reported. She was getting ready to stand from behind the bush and confront him when he heard a rustle in the bush, thought it to be a stag, and threw his spear that never missed. True to its blessing, the spear struck through the chest of Procris. She screamed, Cephalus realized his mistake, and ran to her. As she lay dying he asked why she'd followed and she told him. She gave him permission to abandon her and go to his mistress. He told her that she was his only love and had always been. Procris died with the knowledge of her husband's faith and the knowledge that her foolishness had killed her. Cephalus asked the gods to take his soul as well, but they didn't.
Of course his companion was more concerned with, "what happened to the hound that always catches its prey" and Cephalus told him that it came across a stag that could never be caught. The two ran in circles, the dog that always catches its prey and the stag (or fox in another myth) that can never be caught, and neither could come out the victor so in a fit of annoyance Zeus changed the two to stone.
It's a tragic love story, but one of my very favorites... Ovid tells it better than I could.

Cephalus and the dying Procris; Dawn stealing Cephalus; Procris giving Cephalus the hound, Canis Laelaps, and the spear.
 

Nadai

Active Member
I'm really happy you read it Nadai.
I find it to be a neglected jewel.
I like how you worded that; "neglected jewel". I agree. It was a very good story, but I've never heard of it. I like to think I know a bit about Irish tales. I even spent some time taking a look into Irish history: Ireland by Frank Delaney and another I can't remember the name of. I thought it was a pretty good compilation of Irish lore (now that I thinnk of it I want to read it again:)), but I don't remember ever coming across Diarmuid.
...
Here's a look at the book if you haven't seen it before. It was a pretty great read!
http://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/index.cfm/book_number/1537/ireland
...
A bit from the author's notes in Ireland.
"we merge our myths with our facts according to our feelings, we tell ourselves our own story. And no matter what we are told, we choose what we believe. All 'truths' are only 'our' truths, because we too bring to the 'facts' our feelings, our experiences, our wishes. Thus, storytelling - from wherever it comes - forms a layer in the foundation of the world; and glinting in it we see the trace elements of every tribe on earth."
-Frank Delaney, Ireland
 

LegendofJoe

Active Member
The F. Delaney book seems interesting. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
I first came across Diarmuid and King Under-Wave's daughter in a collection of Time-Life books called The Enchanted World.
It introduced me to a world of mythology outside that of the Greeks.
I then discovered it again in Lady Gregory's Gods and Fighting Men.
Along with her other book Cuchulainn of Muithemne, you can get a great treatment to a large portion
of Irish mythology.
 

Nadai

Active Member
The F. Delaney book seems interesting. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
I first came across Diarmuid and King Under-Wave's daughter in a collection of Time-Life books called The Enchanted World.
It introduced me to a world of mythology outside that of the Greeks.
I then discovered it again in Lady Gregory's Gods and Fighting Men.
Along with her other book Cuchulainn of Muithemne, you can get a great treatment to a large portion
of Irish mythology.

I'll have to look into them, thanks! I've got a few books on my must-read list, but I'll definately be adding those!
 
Top