Erysichthon of Thessaly
Erysichthon (Greek Ἐρυσίχθων = saving the earth ) is a figure in Greek mythology. He was the son of Triopas and King of Thessaly. It causes one day cold-hearted, the precipitation of a sacred oak of Demeter, without paying attention to the prayers and supplications of the dryad had to die with the tree.
The cruel punishment for this act he received immediately by Demeter, this was a hunger goddess the sleeping Erysichthon breathe insatiable gluttony. The king consumed first his possessions in order to then devour themselves need. This is also the reason for its nickname Aithon ( altgr. Αἴθων = burning).
Erysichthon had the daughter Mestra. Since she was the mistress of Poseidon, she had the gift to transform into any shape. In order to satisfy his primal hunger, he gave his daughter to well-paying suitor. During the night, however, this turned into an animal, fled and returned to her father. Among the betrayed suitors also scored Glaucus, son of Sisyphus.
The Erysichthon saga is in Callimachus ( Demeterhymnos VI, 24-117 ), Lycophron and most extensively in Ovid, Metamorphoses 8, 738-878, illustrated.