In Greek mythology, Botres (Ancient Greek: Βότρης) was a Theban son of Eumelus and grandson of Eugnotus.
Mythology
Eumelus venerated the god
Apollo devotedly and honored him with generous offerings. One day, when Eumelus was sacrificing a ram to the god, Botres, who was helping around, tasted the victim's brain before the ritual was completed. Eumelus, enraged, hit Botres on the head with a brand and inflicted a fatal injury on him. As it became evident that Botres was dying, Eumelus, his wife and the servants were overcome with sorrow. Being that Eumelus was a devotee, Apollo took pity on them and changed Botres into a bird called
Aeropus (
bee-eater).
[Antoninus Liberalis, 18 as cited in Boios' Ornithogonia]
This myth is also briefly referenced in Ovid's Metamorphoses.[Ovid, Metamorphoses 7.389–390]
Notes
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Anderson, William S. A commentary on Ovid's Metamorphoses, 7. 390 In: Ovid's Metamorphoses. Books 6–10. Edited, with Introduction and Commentary, by William S. Anderson. University of Oklahoma Press, 1972. - p. 285.
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Antoninus Liberalis, The Metamorphoses of Antoninus Liberalis translated by Francis Celoria (Routledge 1992). Online version at the Topos Text Project.
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Pierre Grimal, A Concise Dictionary of Classical mythology. Basil Blackwell Ltd, 1990. - p. 77
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Ovid, Metamorphoses translated by Brookes More (1859-1942). Boston, Cornhill Publishing Co. 1922. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
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Publius Ovidius Naso, Metamorphoses. Hugo Magnus. Gotha (Germany). Friedr. Andr. Perthes. 1892. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
