ERICHTHONIUS (legendary king of Athens)
Figure of myth · legendary king of Athens
- Parents
- Hephaestus
- Consorts
- Praxithea
- Children
- Pandion I
- In the sources
- 15 ancient passages
Erichthonius, who sprang from the Earth in the land of Athens, expelled Amphictyon from the throne and became king.1,2,3,4 Accounts differ on his parentage; some say he had no human father, while others identify him as the son of Hephaestus and Atthis.4,3 Hephaestus is reported as one of Erichthonius's parents.4
Athena entrusted Erichthonius to the daughters of Agraulus, concealing him in a chest and forbidding them from opening it.1,5 Inside the chest, Erichthonius was found coiled around by a serpent.3 Two serpents were placed beside him to guard him.1 A bracelet holding Gorgon blood was fastened to Erichthonius with gold links.6 Pallas gave Erichthonius two drops of Gorgon blood while he was still an infant.6
Aglaurus and Herse opened the chest and went mad upon seeing Erichthonius.5 Aglaurus and Herse threw themselves from the Acropolis after seeing Erichthonius.5 Athena raised him in secret to make him immortal.3 Erichthonius was produced by the Earth and founded the royal line of Creusa.6 He is identified as an ancestor of Creusa.7
Erichthonius expelled Amphictyon from the throne of Athens and became king.3,4 He instituted the festival known as the Panathenaea.3 He was the first person to use a chariot drawn by four horses.8 Erichthonius is credited with discovering silver, though some attribute this discovery to Æacus.9 Erichthonius received the golden cup from Dardanus and passed it to Tros.10
Erichthonius married Astyoche, the daughter of Simoeis.11 He also married Praxithea, a Naiad nymph.3 With Praxithea, he had a son named Pandion.3 Pandion succeeded Erichthonius as the ruler of the region.12 Erichthonius was the father of Tros.11 He was the grandfather of Erechtheus, who was the son of Pandion.13 Erichthonius died and was interred within the sacred area of Athena.12
The codex facts behind this entry
In the myths
Erichthonius expelled Amphictyon from the throne of Athens and became king. Apollodorus 3.14.6 +1 Erichthonius was entrusted to the daughters of Agraulus by Athena, who concealed him in a chest and forbade them from opening it. Euripides, Ion 1-40 +1
