PANAKEIA

PANAKEIA (Panacea) was the goddess of cures and panaceas--in the form of medicines, salves and other curatives. She was an attendant of her father, the medicine-god Asklepios (Asclepius). Her sisters included Iaso (Curing) and Hygeia (Good Health).

FAMILY OF PANACEA

PARENTS

[1.1] ASKLEPIOS & EPIONE (Greek Lyric V Anon Fragment 939 Erythrae Inscription, Suidas s.v. Epione)
[1.2] ASKLEPIOS (Aristophanes Plutus 701)

ENCYCLOPEDIA

PANACEIA (Panakeia), i.e. "the all-healing," a daughter of Asclepius, who had a temple at Oropus. (Paus. i. 34. § 2; Aristoph. Plut. 702, with the Schol.)

Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.

CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

Hippocrates, The Hippocratic Oath (Greek physician C5th to C4th B.C.) :
"I swear by Apollon the physician, and Asklepios (Asclepius), and Hygeia, and Panakeia (Panacea), and all the gods and goddesses, that, according to my ability and judgment, I will keep this Oath and this stipulation . . ."

Greek Lyric V Anonymous, Fragment 939 (Inscription from Erythrai) (trans. Campbell) (Greek lyric B.C.) :
"Asklepios (Asclepius), the most famous god--ie Paian! By him were fathered Makhaon (Machaon) and Podaleirios (Podalirius) and Iaso (Healer)--ie Paian!--and fair-eyed Aigle (Radiance) and Panakea (Panacea, Cure-all), children of Epione, along with Hygieia (Health), all-glorious, undefiled."

Pausanias, Description of Greece 1. 34. 3 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) :
"[In the temple of Amphiaraus in Oropos (Oropus) in Attika (Attica) :] The altar shows parts . . . The fourth portion of the altar is to Aphrodite and Panakeia (Panacea), and further to Iaso, Hygeia and Athena Paionia (Healer)."

Aristophanes, Plutus 701 (trans. O'Neill) (Greek comedy C5th to 4th B.C.) :
"[Comedy-play in which two Athenians take the blind god Ploutos (Plutus) to the temple of Asklepios (Asclepius) to be healed. The god appears accompanied by his daughters Iaso and Panakeia (Panacea).]
Wife : And did not the god [Asklepios] come?
Kario (Cario) : He did not tarry; and when he was near us, oh! dear! such a good joke happened. My belly was quite blown up, and I let a thunderous fart!
Wife : Doubtless the god pulled a wry face?
Kario : No, but [his daughters] Iaso blushed a little and Panakeia (Panacea) turned her head away, holding her nose; my farts are not perfume.
Wife : And what did the god do? . . .
Kario : Asklepios did the round of the patients and examined them all with great attention . . . He came and seated himself at the head of Ploutos' bed, took a perfectly clean rag and wiped his eyelids; Panakeia covered his head and face with a purple cloth, while the god whistled, and two enormous snakes came rushing from the sanctuary."

Suidas s.v. Epione (trans. Suda On Line) (Byzantine Greek Lexicon C10th A.D.) :
"Epione : wife of Asklepios (Asclepius), and daughters named Hygeia, Aigle (Aegle), Iaso, Akeso (Aceso), Panakeia (Panacea)."

SOURCES

GREEK

• Hippocrates, The Hippocratic Oath - Greek Rhetoric C5th - 4th B.C.
• Greek Lyric V Anonymous, Fragments - Greek Lyric B.C.
• Aristophanes, Plutus - Greek Comedy C5th - 4th B.C.
• Pausanias, Description of Greece - Greek Travelogue C2nd A.D.

BYZANTINE

• Suidas, The Suda - Byzantine Greek Lexicon C10th A.D.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page.