PRAXITHEA

PRAXITHEA was the Naiad-nymph of a spring, well or fountain of the city of Athens--perhaps one located near the marketplace. She was the wife of the early Athenian king Erekhtheus (Erechtheus).

Praxithea's name means "Exacting Goddess" or "Commerce Goddess" from the Greek words praxis, "exacting" or "business transaction" and thea "goddess." She may have been associated with the goddesses named Praxidikai (Praxidikae).

PARENTS

[1.1] PHRASIMOS & DIOGENEIA (Apollodorus 3.196)

OFFSPRING

[1.1] PANDION (by Erikhthonios) (Apollodorus 3.190)
[2.1] KEKROPS, PANDOROS, METION, PROKRIS, KREOUSA, KHTHONIA, OREITHYIA (by Erekhtheus) (Apollodorus 3.196)

ENCYCLOPEDIA

PRAXI′THEA (Praxithea). A daughter of Phrasimus and Diogeneia, was the wife of Erechtheus, and mother of Cecrops, Pandorus, Metion, Orneus, Procris, Creusa, Chthonia, and Oreithyia. (Apollod. iii. 15. § 1.) Some call her a daughter of Cephissus. (Lycurg. c. Leocrat. 98.)

PASI′THEA (Pasithea). A Naiad, the wife of Erichthonius and mother of Pandion. (Apollod. iii. 14. § 6; comp. iii. 15. § 1, where she is called Praxithea.)

Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.

ALTERNATE NAMES

CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 3. 190 (trans. Aldrich) (Greek mythographer C2nd A.D.) :
"[King Erikhthonios (Erichthonius) of Athens] married a Naias Nymphe (Naiad Nymph) named Praxithea, and with her had a son Pandion."

Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 3. 196 :
"Erekhtheus (Erechtheus) [king of Athens] married Praxithea, daughter of Phrasimos (Phrasimus) and [the river] Kephisos' (Cephisus') daughter Diogeneia, and had sons named Kekrops (Cecrops), Pandoros (Pandorus), and Metion, and daughters named Prokris (Procris), Kreusa (Creusa), Khthonia (Chthonia), and Oreithyia, whom Boreas (the North Wind) kidnapped."

SOURCES

GREEK

• Apollodorus, The Library - Greek Mythography C2nd A.D.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page.