Daphnis
He fell from a cliff, or was changed into a rock, or was taken up to heaven by his father Hermes, who caused a spring of water to gush out from the spot where his son had been carried off.There is little doubt that Aelian in his account follows Stesichorus of Himera, who in like manner had been blinded by the vengeance of a woman (Helen) and probably sang of the sufferings of Daphnis in his recantation.Nothing is said of Daphnis's blindness by Theocritus, who dwells on his amour with Nais; his victory over Menalcas in a poetical competition; his love for Xenea brought about by the wrath of Aphrodite; his wanderings through the woods while suffering the torments of unrequited love; his death just at the moment when Aphrodite, moved by compassion, endeavours (but too late) to save him; the deep sorrow, shared by nature and all created things, for his untimely end (Theocritus i. vii.The legend of Daphnis and his early death may be compared with those of Hyacinthus, Narcissus, Linus and Adonis—all beautiful youths cut off in their prime, typical of the luxuriant growth of vegetation in the spring, and its sudden withering away beneath the scorching summer sun.For they say that in earliest times the oracular seat belonged to Ge (Gaea, the Earth), who appointed as prophetess Daphnis, one of the Nymphai (Nymphs) of the mountain [Mount Parnassos]."
Daphnis (moth)Daphnis (moon)Greek mythologyAncient GreekBay LaurelSicilianDiodorus the SicilianHeraean MountainsSicilyHermesexposedHelioseromenospanpipesArtemisSiciliansAelianStesichorusHyacinthusNarcissusAdonisPausaniasDelphiTheocritusfirst IdyllVirgilFifth EclogueTenth EclogueCornelius GallusArcadiaCinquantenaire MuseumPieter MulierRhoecusChisholm, HughEncyclopædia BritannicaLeidenNetherlandsBrill PublicationsClementHomiliesDiodorus SiculusMetamorphosespublic domainMetamorphoses in Greek mythologyAcanthisAcanthusAëdonAegoliusAegypiusAëtosAesacusAgrius and OreiusAlcanderAlcyoneAlcyone and CeyxAlcyonidesAlectryonAnthusAntigoneArne SithonisArtemicheAscalaphusAsteriaAutonousBotresCaeneusCeleusCerberusChelidonCinyrasClinisCoroneCtesyllaCycnus of AetoliaCycnus of AresCycnus of ColonaeCycnus of LiguriaDaedalionErinomaErodiusEumelusGeranaHarmothoëHarpalyceHarpasusHieraxHippodamiaHyperippeIctinusLelanteLyciusMegaletorMeleagridsMemnonidesMeropisMeropsMinyadesMunichusNeophronNyctaeaNyctimeneOenotropaeOrtygiusPandareusPerdixPeriphasPeristeraPieridesPhilaeusPhilomelaPleiadesPolyphontePolytechnusProcneRhexenorSchoeneusScyllaTereusTimandraActaeonArachneAristaeusAscalabusAtalantaCadmusCalchus