Arne Sithonis

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Arnê (Ἄρνη) is a mythologized princess of an ancient Greek island, who according to legend betrayed her motherland, after the legendary king Minos had bribed her with gold into supporting Crete. After she had accepted the bribe that "her greed demanded", Minos' troops attacked the island. For this misdeed the gods punished her by turning her into a black-footed, black-winged jackdaw, and she would be forever attracted to golden and shining objects.

The only source on Arnê's story is Ovid's mythological poem Metamorphoses from 8 BC,[1], where—depending on the manuscript—her name is given as Arne Sithonis or Arne Sithon ("Arnê the Sithonian", meaning "Arnê the Thracian"; see below). Attempts have been made to identify the island as Siphnos due to paleographical similarities,[2] but no independent legend connects an Arnê to the island of Siphnos or any other island of the Cyclades.[3]

Localization and chronology

to be added later

References

  1. Publius Ovidius Naso, Metamorphoses 7.465
  2. G.L. Huxley, "Arne Sithonis", Classical Quarterly 32 (i), 1982, p. 159
  3. Identifying the island as Cythnon is impossible, because Cythnon is already mentioned in Ovid, Metamorphoses 7.464