+ Cycladia Travel Guides | Mythology



The myth of the battles between Titans and Giants
According to the Greek Mythology, the first Evia inhabitants were the Titans. When the Giants arrived on the island, they had to fight against the Titans in order to conquer it. These fights were so fierce, that every time they took place there was an earthquake. So, every earthquake in the prehistoric times was attributed to a fight between the Titans and the Giants.
Goddess Hera
Evia is among the possible places of birth for Goddess Hera, along with Samos, Argos and Arcadia. The myth suggests that no matter where she was born, she was raised in Evia on the mountain Ochi by the nymph Makri. This is where Zeus saw her and fell for her; so, disguised into a cuckoo that was shaking because of the cold, he approached her; and when Hera placed the bird on her breast, Zeus transformed into his usual form and tried to make love to her. The goddess resisted until he promised to marry her. In several texts, there are mentions of a temple of Hera on mountain Ochi, but it has not been found yet.
Hercules, Lihas and Lihadonisia

On his way to Evia with his wife Diianeira, Hercules had to pass the river Evinos. The centaur Nessos offered to help them by carrying them on his back; only, he could carry one person at a time. First, he carried Hercules and when he came back to carry Diianeira, he tried to rape her. Hercules saw that and he killed Nessos with his arrows, poisoned by the poison of Lernaia Hydra. Before he died, Nessos told Diianeira that she should keep his blood and use it to create an antidote, in case Hercules didn’t love her anymore.

After arriving to Evia, Hercules won the archery games and the trophy was Ioli, the daughter of king Euritos. But the king denied giving Ioli to Hercules. So, Hercules killed Ioli’s brother and then felt so guilty that he went to the oracle of Delphi, where he was advised to become a slave for three years in order to be forgiven. After three years of slavery, Hercules returned to Evia in order to revenge Euritos and take Ioli, always having Diianeira with him. Hercules achieved in conquering Evia and managed to take Ioli with him too, but he wanted to thank Zeus by preparing a thanksgiving sacrifice. So, he sent his messenger Lihas to his wife, in order to ask for a special mantle for the sacrifice.

Diianeira had heard that Hercules took Ioli with him and thought he was in love with her; so, she sank the mantle in the blood of Nessos (which was poisoned) and when Hercules put the mantle on, he immediately got sick. Hercules thought that Lihas was responsible for this and threw him in the sea. This is how Lihadonisia were created, according to the myth. Meanwhile, Hercules was in terrible pain and he decided to burn himself on mountain Oiti. This is why the top of this mountain is called “Pyra”, which means fire in Greek. When Diianeira learnt what had happened, she committed suicide and her grave was situated on the foot of mount Oiti.


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