CERYNEIAN HIND
Greek fabulous creature
Also known as Cerynean-Hind, Cerynitis
Missing: One of Artemis's golden-horned deer
Five Golden-Horned Deer were sacred to Artemis. Four of these immortal and very regal creatures served the Goddess by pulling her golden chariot. The other one had gone AWOL and had to be recaptured.
The Labors of Heracles
Episode 3: The Ceryneian Hind
Having killed the Hydra, the next item on Heracles’s list was the capture of the Ceryneian Hind. A sneaky Labor, this one, as the beast was so fast it took Heracles a year to even get within range.
With her golden horns and bronze hooves, this beautiful deer had to be taken alive. Chasing her through Cerynaea, through Greece and into foreign lands, he finally gave up attempting to catch her and decided on the direct approach.
Using one of his Hydra-enhanced arrowheads, he exercised all his marksmanship skills, loosing an arrow that pinioned her front legs together. Her legs went numb, but without harming bone or sinew. The legs then made a fine carrying strap as he traveled back to Mycenae to present the deer to Eurystheus.
Artemis, who’d been waiting to receive the Golden Hind, came to meet our Hero halfway, and was not pleased at the manner of her capture until Heracles explained that not a drop of blood had been spilt. “You’ll have no trouble kissing her better, and then she’ll love you and not run off again,” he said. So Artemis forgave him.
Next Episode: The Erymanthian Boar...
Ceryneian Hind Facts and Figures
Name: Ceryneian Hind
Pronunciation: Coming soon
Alternative names: Cerynean-Hind, Cerynitis
Gender: Female
Type: fabulous creature
Celebration or Feast Day: Unknown at present
Role: Unknown at present
Good/Evil Rating: Unknown at present
Popularity index: 5003
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Article last revised on September 06, 2018 by Rowan Allen.
Editors: Peter J. Allen, Chas Saunders
References: Coming soon.