Helike (mythology)

For the ancient Greek city, see Helike. For the moon of Jupiter, see Helike (moon).

In Greek mythology, Helike (/ˈhɛlᵻkiː/; Greek: Ἑλίκη, pronounced [heˈlikɛː], modern Greek pronunciation: [eˈlici]) was a name of several women. One was a nymph and one was a Queen of Chios.

List of Helikes

Zeus’ nurse

Helike nurtured god Zeus in his infancy on Crete.^[1]

Her name suggests that she was a "willow-nymph", just as there were oak-tree nymphs and ash-nymphs (Dryads and Meliae).

It is likely that she is the same as Ide.

Ursa Major

Helike was in antiquity a common proper name for the constellation Ursa Major.^[2]

Queen

Queen Helike was a wife of King Oenopion of Chios and their children were:

• Melas
• Talus
• Maron
• Euanthes
• Salagus
• Athamas^[3]
• Merope

Wife of Ion

This Helike was a wife of a man called Ion and mother of woman called Bura.

Ion built the city and named it after his wife. They were wed by Selinus.

References

1. ↑ Aratus, Phaenomena 27
2. ↑ Aratus, Phaenomena, translation by A. W. Mair, G. R. Loeb
3. ↑ Pausanias, Description of Greece, 7. 4. 8