The ancient Greek word aithôn means "burning", "blazing" or "shining." Less strictly, it can denote the colour red-brown, or "tawny."[1] It is an epithet sometimes applied to animals such as horses at Hom. Il. 2.839; oxen at Od.18.372; and an eagle at Il. 15.690 (cf. Hyginus' calling the eagle that tormented Prometheus an aethonem aquilam at Fabulae 31.5.).[2] The eagle who tormented Prometheus, Aethon, was the child of the monstersTyphon and Echidna.[3] In English, aithôn may be written Aethon, Aithon or Ethon.[4] In Greek and Roman mythology there are a number of characters known as Aethon. Most are horses, variously belonging to:
The name is twice applied to humans. In Odyssey 19.183, it is the pseudonym a disguised Odysseus assumes during his interview with Penelope upon his return to Ithaca. According to fr. 43a.5 of Hesiod's Catalogue of Women, Erysichthon of Thessaly was also known as Aethon due to the "burning" hunger (aithôn limos) he was made to endure by Demeter.[9]
This article includes a list of Greek mythological figures with the same or similar names. If an internal link for a specific Greek mythology article referred you to this page, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended Greek mythology article, if one exists.
