AristaiosAristaeus

The son of Apollon and Kyrene (Cyrene).

Apollon seduced Kyrene and removed her to Libya and turned her into a nymph; when Aristaios was an infant, Apollon took him to the cave of the Centaur, Kheiron (Chiron), for his education.

As a grown man, Aristaios became a favorite of the Muse who made him the keeper of their flocks; he was called Hunter and Shepherd because he was so skillful with all types of animals.

Aristaios’ affection for the nymph, Eurydike (Eurydice), caused her death and roused the ire of Eurydike’s sisters; as punishment for his impulsiveness, the nymphs killed all of Aristaios’ bees; he was able to appease the nymphs and regain his bees with the intervention of Proteus (the Old Man of the Sea).

When the Dog-Star, Sirius, rose in the sky and scorched the land, Apollon took Aristaios to the island of Keos (Ceos) so that he could use his powers of healing and prophecy to help the islanders; Aristaios gathered the inhabitants and made a great altar in order to sacrifice to Sirius and Zeus; as a result of Aristaios’ prayers, Zeus sent a cooling wind, called the Etesian winds, which lasted for forty days and continues annually when the Dog-Star rises in the Summer sky.

• Argonautika, book 2, lines 500-527)