Comaetho (lover of Cydnus)
Cilician queen transformed into a spring for love.
Comaetho is a queen or Naiad nymph of Cilicia who fell in love with the river-god Cydnus. The goddess Aphrodite transformed her into a spring, uniting her waters with his for eternity. This myth is notable as the earliest attested full metamorphosis into a body of sweet water.
Quick Facts
- Region
- Cilicia
- Type
- Queen or Naiad nymph
- Lover
- Cydnus (river-god)
- Transformation
- Spring
- Deity responsible
- Aphrodite
Facts from the source article.
Did You Know?
- Nonnus describes Comaetho as a daughter of Cydnus, though elsewhere he simply describes her as his lover.
- Cydnus is now known as the Berdan River.
Background
The earliest attestation of this story comes from a fragment of Parthenius, preserved by Eustathius of Thessalonica who is in turn quoted by Stephanus of Byzantium. The myth may have arisen as a geographical, aetiological narrative describing a spring near Glaphyrae in Cilicia, possibly traced to Parthenius's own Metamorphoses work. Some doubt exists, as that work was likely written in hexameters. The story has been compared to that of Alpheus and Arethusa for its contrast of water and the fire of love, and to Parthenius's tale of Byblis, as both involve maidens suffering from incestuous passions if Cydnus is taken as Comaetho's father.
More in Metamorphoses Into Bodies of Water in Greek Mythology
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