Tuesday 23 December 2014

Procris

In Greek mythology, Procris was described as the daughter of Erechtheus, king of Athens and his wife Praxithea. Procris was married to Cephalus, the son of  Deioneus. Cephalus and Procris were bound by mutual love and promised each other never to be untrue. 
Procris

                                  In some versions, a man named Pteleon bribed her with golden crown and had sexual intercourse with her. 
                                  In some versions, Cephalus was described as behind  the bribe, as he wanted to test his wife. Cephalus send Pteleon, to offer Procris sum of gold on condition that she would have sex with him. First she refused, but when he doubled the offer she accepted.
                                  In some versions, Cephalus remain away from home for eight years, because he wanted to test Procris. He returned disguising as a stranger and bribed her to have sex with him. 
Goddess Eos abducting Cephalus

                                   In some versions,  Eos, the goddess of draw, fall in love with Cephalus and abducted him. Eos did not want Cephalus to break faith or promise unless his wife, Procris do so before him. So goddess Eos turn Cephalus into a stranger and gave him wonderful gifts to give to Procris. When he came in new form, he bribed his own wife with the gift's goddess Eos had given him, and lay with her. After making love, Cephalus recovered to his normal appearance. 


Cephalus blaming his wife, Procris to be unfaithful
                                                       In any case, Procris was declared unfaithful wife, and being abashed or fearing her husband, she fled to Crete, where the rule was held by king Minos. King Minos had many love affairs, and when queen Pasiphae found out about her husband affairs, she cast a spell on him which caused him to ejaculated poisoned creatures and so kill his lover. Queen Pasiphae herself being immortal, was alone immune. King Minos fall in love with Procris and wanted her in his bed. Minos offered her two wonderful gifts, [a javelin which no one could avoid and the dog Laelaps which no wild beast could escape]  on condition that she would share bed with him.  Procris agreed and for precaution she gave him a potion made from Circaean root to drink so that he might not harm her from ejaculating poisoned creatures. In some versions, Minor was cured by Procris, for which she got two wonderful gifts. 
                 
Procris and Artemis
      According to other version, when Procris fled to Crete she met goddess Artemis. Artemis refused to hunt along with Procris, because she was no longer a virgin. Procris revealed her misfortune to the goddess Artemis, describing how her husband with the help of goddess Eos had deceived her. Goddess Artemis out of pity gave her two wonderful gifts [a javelin which noone could avoid and the dog Laelaps which no wild beast could escape].              
 
                                   Procris, with her hair cut and disguised as a young man, went back to Athens. As a stranger Procris met Cephalus, whom she challenged and surpassed in the hunt. When Cephalus saw both dog and javelin were irresistible, he asked the stranger to sell them to him. Still not knowing that stranger was his wife he was bargaining with Procris. Procris refused several offers but finally she said that he could get them in exchange for love. 
Cephalus and Procris
                              Inflamed by desire for the javelin and the dog, Cephalus agreed. When they had came into the bed chamber, Procris took off her tunic and showed that she was woman and his wife. Cephalus who once had made a scheme in order to bribe his wife, now let himself be bribed by the same wife.  So Cephalus and Procris were reconciled and Cephalus took the javelin and the dog. 


Death of Procris

                                   Later Procris feared that goddess Eos would abduct Cephalus or he had affair with other woman, secretly followed her husband to watch him in the early morning, hiding herself among the bushes. When Cephalus saw the bushes stir, he throw javelin which never missed its mark, thinking that she was wild animal and killed her.       
                                    According to some versions, Procris in early years had sexual relation with with her father Erechtheus. She gave birth to a daughter, Aglaurus. 


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