EPAPHUS (son of Zeus and Io)

Zeus conceived Epaphus by touching Io while she was a cow, and she gave birth to the calf.^1,4 Io bore Epaphus after being driven by a gadfly to the Nile.⁷ This birth occurred in the city of Canobus at the mouth of the Nile.^3,7 Accounts differ, as some state he was born in a coastal cave called Boos-Aule.⁸ Egyptian accounts state that a heavenly light impregnated the mother cow.⁶

Hera asked the Curetes to kill the infant Epaphus, and they successfully killed the child as requested.² Zeus killed the Curetes after learning they had harmed Epaphus.² Io searched for Epaphus throughout Syria after his death and found him being nursed by the wife of the king of Byblus.² The mother cow was unable to conceive again after giving birth to the calf.⁶

Epaphus took Memphis, the daughter of the Nile, as his wife.⁹ He founded the city of Memphis in Egypt and named it after his wife.^9,10 Epaphus ruled over the Egyptian people during his time.^9,11 He would gather the produce of the land watered by the Nile.³

Epaphus was the father of the dark Libyans, the high-souled Aethiopians, the Underground-folk, and the feeble Pygmies.¹² The people born to Epaphus knew seercraft by the will of Zeus, and Earth bore the soothsaying people to him.¹² Epaphus reproached Phaeton, calling him a madman for trusting his mother's claims, which caused Phaeton to feel ashamed.^13,14 Temples dedicated to Epaphus were joined to those of his parent in cities.¹³ He is summoned in foreign cry and prayers.¹⁵