KITHAIRON (mountain in Boeotia)
Mountain range between West Attica and Boeotia, Greece
The mountain features rugged crags that rise high into the sky. Seneca, Phoenissae act 1 ¶2 The mountain is considered dear to the goddess Artemis. Euripides, The Phoenician Maidens 801-817 The area includes places where Pan plays his pipes. Euripides, Bacchae 945-976
Described in the sources
Bright flakes of white snow on this mountain never melt. Euripides, Bacchae 642-676 +2 Pentheus traveled to this location to mock the god and the revelry. Euripides, Bacchae 1280-1329 +1 The towns of Hysiae and Erythrae are situated below the rock of Kithairon. Euripides, Bacchae 728-774 +1 Alcathous killed a lion on this mountain range, an event that may have prompted the building of a temple. Pausanias 1.41.4 +1 The mountain range contains glens where the Bacchae are located, and the speaker intends to go to its folds to join them in their dances. Euripides, Bacchae 43-63 +1 The area includes seats of the Nymphs. Euripides, Bacchae 945-976 The range ends near the territory of Thebes. Strabo 9.2.15 Plataeae is situated at the foot of Cithaeron. Strabo 9.2.31 The Oneia mountains extend as far as Cithaeron. Strabo 8.6.21 The mountain contains the territory of Plataea. Pausanias 9.2.1
Gods and worship
Cithaeron is celebrated in the chorus's dance and song. Sophocles, Oedipus Tyrannus 1086-1097 An oracle commanded the Corinthians to worship a tree on this mountain. Pausanias 2.2.7
Stories and history
Oedipus wishes the mountain had sunk into hell or killed him immediately after he was given to it, and begs it to send its beasts against him. Euripides, The Phoenician Maidens 1582-1624 +2 Oedipus honors Cithaeron as his nurse and mother, as the mountain is said to have reared the infant Oedipus. Euripides, The Phoenician Maidens 801-817 +1 Cithaeron advised Zeus to use a wooden image to deceive Hera by claiming he was marrying the daughter of Asopus and transporting the image in a wagon. Pausanias 9.3.1 +1 Pentheus climbed a tree on this mountain to spy on the Bacchanals, after which the women dragged him down and Agave tore him limb from limb in a fit of madness. Apollodorus 3.5.2 +1 Rumors claim that the mountain was captured. Statius, Thebaid 4.363-389 ¶2 The mountain possesses forests and wild beasts. Seneca, Oedipus act 5 ¶1 Ino sank her son beneath the waves while fleeing. Seneca, Phoenissae act 1 ¶2 The noble blood of Ophion was spilt on Cithaeron. Seneca, Oedipus act 2 ¶13 All the snow covering the mountain has disappeared. Seneca, Thyestes act 1 ¶6 Cithaeron is considered well-pleasing to the prince. Sophocles, Oedipus Tyrannus 1086-1097
Myths set at Kithairon
- The Return with the Head. Agave returns home carrying her son's severed head, believing it to be a wild beast. She invites Cadmus and Thebes to a banquet to display her ill-fated prey. Euripides, Bacchae 1114-1152 +3 Agave
- The Trial and Condemnation of Dionysus. Pentheus, the king of Thebes, interrogates a stranger who has introduced new rites to the city, demanding to know his identity and origins. The king vows to punish the stranger and his followers, ordering soldiers to attack the women in the mountains and capture the ringleader in chains. Euripides, Bacchae 642-676 +3 Pentheus