MOUNT ETNA (mountain in Sicily)
Active stratovolcano on the east coast of Sicily, Italy
- Also called
- Aetna
- Kind of place
- Mountain
- Region
- Sicily
- People of myth here
- Cyclops (Smith), Enceladus, Polyphemus, Hephaestus
- Where
- 37.75° N, 14.99° E
Aetna is described as the home of the god Hephaestus. Euripides, The Trojan Women 214-229 Aetna spouts forth a huge fire. Diodorus 4.21 The mountain retains its frozen snow throughout the entire year. Pindar, Pythian 1 ¶3
Described in the sources
Mount Etna is located in Sicily. Apollodorus 1.6.3 +4 The Cyclopes, the one-eyed children of the ocean god, are said to possess the land and live in the mountain's caverns. Euripides, The Cyclops 1-40 +1 Pindar states that the monster Typhon lies beneath Mount Etna, which is described as a snowy pillar of the sky that binds him. Pindar, Pythian 1 ¶3 +1 The area is said to face towards Phoenicia. Euripides, The Trojan Women 214-229 The mountain is referred to as a rock in the text. Euripides, The Cyclops 1-40 Mulciber recovers from his labours in the fiery Aetna. Statius, Thebaid 5.43-69 ¶2 Empedocles arrived at the underworld from this location. Lucian, Dialogues of the Dead 20 ¶2 The area is described as having no city walls or ramparts. Euripides, The Cyclops 82-130 The mountains of Aetna are located near the city of Centoripa. Strabo 6.2.4 part 3 The peaks of Aetna are described as having rich grass pastures. Euripides, The Cyclops 55-62
Gods and worship
The fires of Aetna are suggested as a possible cause for Sicily rising from the sea. Strabo 1.3.10 Aetna exhibits volcanic phenomena similar to those described for the Pithecussae islands. Strabo 5.4.9
Stories and history
Mount Etna is described as holding Typhon in a vast prison. Pindar, Pythian 1 ¶3 +1 The volcano rolls down and shoots out globes of fire, flame, and molten rocks, along with fiery dust that reaches the stars. Aeneid 3.570 +1 The mountain is described as huge in size. Apollodorus 1.6.3 Ardent masses and water are poured out from Aetna. Strabo 6.1.6 part 2 Fire is drawn up through the opened mouths of Aetna. Strabo 6.1.6 part 2 An east wind drove Silenus's ship to the rock of Aetna. Euripides, The Cyclops 1-40 The land is famous for awarding crowns to acts of valor. Euripides, The Trojan Women 214-229 Aetna erupts sand and red-hot stones from its open mouths. Diodorus 5.7 A great torrent of lava from Aetna was poured over the land. Diodorus 5.6 The eruptions from Aetna ruined a great stretch of the country. Diodorus 5.6
Myths set at Mount Etna
- Polyphemus's Courtship of Galatea. hook: A shepherd son of Poseidon falls in love with a nereid playing on the beach at the foot of Mount Etna. goal: The Cyclops attempts to win her affection through songs and gifts. outcome: Galatea rejects his proposal and mocks him by throwing apples and stones at his flock. Athenaeus 1.11 +5 Galatea
- Slavery to Polyphemus. Silenus is enslaved by the Cyclops Polyphemus after a storm drives his ship to Mount Aetna. He is forced to tend flocks and clean the cave while serving his master. Euripides, The Cyclops 1-40 +2 Silenus
- Aeneas's Rescue of Achaemenides. Aeneas arrives at a shore and performs a sacrifice, where he finds Achaemenides, who had been abandoned on Mount Etna. Aeneas rescues Achaemenides from the Cyclops Polyphemus, leading Achaemenides to venerate him as a father. Ovid Met. 14.154-247 +1 Aeneas