KHIONE

KHIONE (Chione) was a nymph of Mount Haimos (Haemus) in Thrake (north of Greece). She was a daughter of Boreas, god of the north-wind, and Oreithyia, the lady of mountain gales. Khione was probably a goddess of snow (khiôn).

Another nymph named Khione was a consort of Boreas.

PARENTS

[1.1] BOREAS & OREITHYIA (Apollodorus 3.199, Pausanias 3.15.2)
[1.2] BOREAS (Hyginus Fabulae 157)

OFFSPRING

[1.1] EUMOLPOS (by Poseidon) (Apollodorus 3.201, Pausanias 3.15.4, Hyginus Fabulae 157)

ENCYCLOPEDIA

CHI′ONE (Chionê). A daughter of Boreas and Oreithyia, and sister of Cleopatra, Zetes, and Calais. She became by Poseidon the mother of Eumolpus, and in order to conceal the event, she threw the boy into the sea; but the child was saved by Poseidon. (Apollod. iii. 15. §§ 2, 4 ; Paus. i. 38. § 3.)

Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.

CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 3. 199 (trans. Aldrich) (Greek mythographer C2nd A.D.) :
"As Oreithyia (Mountain-Raging) was playing by the river Ilissos (Ilissus), Boreas (the North Wind) kidnapped her and had sex with her. She bore him daughters named Kleopatra (Cleopatra) and Khione (Chione, Snow), and winged sons named Zetes and Kalais (Calais)."

Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 3. 201 :
"Khione (Chione) had intercourse with Poseidon, and when she gave birth to Eumolpos (Eumolpus), without letting her father [Boreas] know, she threw the baby into the deep sea to avoid discovery. But Poseidon rescued him and took him to Aithiopia (Ethiopia), where he gave him to his and Amphitrite's daughter Benthesikyme (Benthesicyme) to rear."

Pausanias, Description of Greece 1. 38. 2 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) :
"Eumolpos (Eumolpus) [a hero of Eleusis] they say came from Thrake (Thrace), being the son of Poseidon and Khione (Chione). Khione they say was the daughter of Boreas (the North Wind) and of Oreithyia."

Pausanias, Description of Greece 3. 15. 2 :
"While Orithyia was playing by the Ilissos river, Boreas carried her off and had intercourse with her; and she bore daughters, Kleopatra (Cleopatra) and Khione (Chione), and winged sons, Zetes and Kalais (Calais)."

Pausanias, Description of Greece 3. 15. 4 :
"Khione (Chione) had connexion with Poseidon, and having given birth to Eumolpos (Eumolpus) unknown to her father, in order not to be detected, she flung the child into the deep. But Poseidon picked him up and conveyed him to Aithiopia (Ethiopia), and gave him to Benthesikyme (Deep Wave), a daughter of his own by Amphitrite, to bring up."

Pseudo-Hyginus, Fabulae 157 (trans. Grant) (Roman mythographer C2nd A.D.) :
"Sons of Neptunus [Poseidon] . . . Eumolpus by Chiona [Khione], daughter of Aquilo [Boreas]."

SOURCES

GREEK

• Apollodorus, The Library - Greek Mythography C2nd A.D.
• Pausanias, Description of Greece - Greek Travelogue C2nd A.D.

ROMAN

• Hyginus, Fabulae - Latin Mythography C2nd A.D.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page.