Despoina
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Despoina (Δέσποινα, "mistress" or "queen") was the daughter of Demeter and Poseidon. (e.g., in Pausanias 8.42.1)
In the myth Demeter was searching for her lost daughter when Poseidon saw and desired her. To avoid him, she took the form of a mare, but he took the form for a stallion and forced his attentions on her. From his union there was born Despoina and also the wonderful horse, Arion.
Due to her anger at this turn of events Demeter took on the epithet Erinys, or raging.
In other forms of the myth the daughter's name was not mentioned, and was only to be revealed to initiates.
Despoina was also used as an epithet for Aphrodite, Persephone and Demeter.
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[edit] References
- H.R. Rose (1985) A Handbook of Greek Mythology, University Paperback, 1964
