Laelaps (mythology)

Lailaps (Greek Λαΐλαψ, the storm wind), in Greek mythology, the name of an immortal dog.

Myth

Among the bride gifts that Zeus made of Europe, were a hunting spear which never missed its target, and an immortal dog that could not escape game. From Europe, these gifts came to her son Minos, king of Crete. This in turn was once plagued by a disease, of whom it was said, his wife Pasiphae she had imposed upon him as a magic. Prokris healed the king and received spear and dog for you; she called the animal Lailaps.

In another version of the traditional gifts of Artemis, goddess of the hunt. Procris had in fact fallen out with her ​​husband Cephalus; Spear and dog should serve the reconciliation of the two passionate hunters.

After Procris had returned home after Thorikos, she made Kephalos the two wonder weapons to the present. At that time, now Thebes was afflicted by a man-eating fox: Every month put the Thebans a child out so that the monster spare them. Since it came to pass that Amphitryon needed the assistance of the Thebanerkönigs Creon; this made ​​it a condition that the first plague to an end and the fox get killed. So Amphitryon requested from Lailaps. The tireless dog came to the rescue - but since the fox was uncatchable quickly threatened to hunt eternally are. Finally, Zeus intervened and transformed itself both animals to stone. It is also said that they had been transferred to the heavens as the constellations Canis Major and Minor.

Lailaps is with that " golden dog " (Greek Κύων χρΰσεον ) should be identical, which played a role even at Zeus ' growing up. For when God was a child, his mother Rhea hid from his father Kronos: In a cave on Mount Ida, the infant of the goat Amalthea nourished; a golden dog, made ​​by Hephaestus, she protected. After Zeus had overthrown his father and assumed power on Olympus, the animal became the guardian of the Zeusheiligtumes in Crete. In the history of Pandareos will tell how this stole the dog and brought to Tantalus and inglorious end which took the matter.

In addition - and probably regardless - also heard a hound of Actaeon on the name Lailaps.

Swell

• Ovid, Metamorphoses; Seventh book, 745ff