HELIKON

HELIKON (Helicon) was a mountain-god of Boiotia in central Greece. His peak lay near the Boiotian border with Phokis and was famed for its shrine of the Mousai (Muses).

PARENTS

Presumably a son GAIA like the other Mountains

CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

Corinna, Fragment 654 (trans. Campbell, Vol. Greek Lyric IV) (Greek lyric C5th B.C.) :
"[Mount Helikon (Helicon) and Mount Kithairon (Cithaeron) competed in a musical contest :] That was his [Mount Kithairon's] song; and at once the Mousai (Muses) instructed the blessed ones to put their secret voting-pebbles into the gold-shining urns; and they all rose together, and Kithairon won the greater number; and Hermes promptly proclaimed with a shout that he had won his desired victory, and the blessed ones adorned him with garlands of firs, and his heart rejoiced; but the other, Helikon, gripped by cruel anguish, tore out a smooth rock, and the mountain shuddered; and groaning pitiably he dashed it from on high into ten thousand stones."

Antoninus Liberalis, Metamorphoses 9 (trans. Celoria) (Greek mythographer C2nd A.D.) :
"There was a musical contest [between the Mousai (Muses) and the Pierides] on Helikon (Helicon) . . . when the Mousai sang, heaven, the stars, the sea and rivers stood still, while Mount Helikon, beguiled by the pleasure of it all, swelled skyward till, by the will of Poseidon, Pegasos (Pegasus) checked it by striking the summit with his hoof." [N.B. Pegasos' hoof-strike also created the spring Hippokrene.]

SOURCES

GREEK

• Greek Lyric IV Corinna, Fragments - Greek Lyric C5th B.C.
• Antoninus Liberalis, Metamorphoses - Greek Mythography C2nd A.D.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page.