BOOTES

BOOTES was the demi-god inventor of the wagon and the plough. He was set amongst the stars by his mother, the goddess Demeter, as the constellations Bootes and the Wain (Ursa Major).

Bootes means "Ploughman" from the Greek word boôtês. He was also named Philomelos "Friend of Ease" from the words philos and mêlos.

Bootes may have been identified with Demeter's Kretan son Eubouleus.

PARENTS

IASION & DEMETER (Hyginus Astronomica 2.4)

OFFSPRING

PARIAS (Hyginus Astronomica 2.4)

ENCYCLOPEDIA

PHILOME′LUS (Philomêlos), a son of Iasion and Demeter, and brother of Plutos, is said to have invented the chariot when Boötes was placed among the stars by his mother. (Hygin. Poet. Astr. ii. 4.)

Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.

CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

Pseudo-Hyginus, Astronomica 2. 4 (trans. Grant) (Roman mythographer C2nd A.D.) :
"[Constellation Waggoner.] Hermippus, who wrote about the stars, says that Ceres [Demeter] lay with Iasion, son of Thuscus. Many agree with Homer that for his he was struck with a thunderbolt. From them, as Petellides, Cretan writer of histories, shows, two sons were born, Philomelus and Plutus, who were never on good terms, for Plutus, who was richer, gave nothing of his wealth to his brother. Philomelus, however, compelled by necessity, bought two oxen with what he had, and became the inventor of the wagon. So, by plowing and cultivating the fields, he supported himself. His mother, admiring his invention, represented him plowing among the stars, and called him Bootes. From him they say Parias was born who called the people Parians and the town Parion from his own name [a town in Mysia on the Hellespont]."

Pliny the Elder, Natural History 7. 199 (trans. Rackham) (Roman encyclopedia C1st A.D.) :
"[On inventions :] The ox and the plough [were invented] by Buzyges (Ox-Yoker) of Athens, or, as others say, by Triptolemus." [N.B. Bouzyges is Bootes.]

SOURCES

ROMAN

• Hyginus, Astronomica - Latin Mythography C2nd A.D.
• Pliny the Elder, Natural History - Latin Encyclopedia C1st A.D.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page.