Natalie Haynes Instagram – What’s that? You wish you knew more about herons in Greek myth? Then let me help you out.
Hippodamia and Autonous had several children, including two son, Erodius and Anthus. Autonous had many herds of horses which he didn’t really know how to look after. One day, Anthus tried to move some of his father’s mares from their pasture and they became angry and attacked, beginning to eat him. His father did nothing to help and was turned into a quail by Zeus. His mother fought hard, but couldn’t defend the boy on her own – she became a crested lark. Erodius became a heron, as did the man who had served Anthus before the horse chomping incident. But – and our source is very clear on this – not the same sort of heron.
Herons don’t associate with anthus birds, and anthus birds avoid horses. If they even hear a neigh they fly off, pretending to neigh themselves.
You can find this story in Antoninus Liberalis’ Metamorphoses | Posted on 20/Apr/2024 17:35:05
