Chrysothemis

KHRYSOTHEMIS (Chrysothemis) was the agricultural demi-goddess of the "Golden-Custom"--which was probably a harvest-festival. She was a daughter of Karmanor (Carmanor, "He who Crops") and the goddess Demeter ("Earth-Mother"). Khryosthemis won the first musical contest at Delphoi with a song (presumably a harvest-tune) and consorted with Apollon to produce a child.

Khrysothemis was also described as the wife of the Naxian King Staphylos ("Bunch of Grapes"), a son of Dionysos. Apollon, however, was the putitative father of all of her children including Molpadia and Parthenos--maiden demigoddesses worshipped in western Anatolia. The latter was associated with agrarian constellation Virgo and pictured holding a sheaf of wheat.

Khrysothemis was probably the same as Akakallis (Acacallis) whose name was derived either from a Cretan word for daffodil or from the Greek akakalis--the juice of the nut of the golden-flowered tamarisk-tree. This juice was mixed with grain to make a honeyed sweet-cake, a confectionary which played an important part in the sacred rites of the Eleusinian Demeter.

In ancient Greek vase painting Khrysothemis also occurs as a goddess in the retinue of Aphrodite.

THE HESPERIDES were the goddess-nymphs of evening and the golden light of sunsets. They were the daughters of either Nyx (Night) or the heaven-bearing Titan Atlas. The Hesperides were entrusted with the care of the tree of the golden apples which was had been presented to the goddess Hera by Gaia (the Earth) on her wedding day. They were assisted by a hundred-headed guardian-Drakon (Dragon). Herakles was sent to fetch the apples as one of his twelve labours and, upon slaying the serpent, stole the precious fruit. Athena later returned them to the Hesperides.

The Hesperides were also the keepers of other treasures of the gods. Perseus obtained from them the artifacts he needed to slay the Gorgon Medousa (Medusa).

The three nymphs and their glowing, golden apples were regarded as the source of the golden light of sunset--a phenomena which celebrated the bridal of Zeus and Hera, the king and queen of heaven.