Erysichthon of Thessaly is a fascinating figure in Greek mythology, who is not very well-known. However, his story is truly impressive and sad at the same time. It is an ancient Greek tale of hubris and divine wrath, elements crucial and fundamental in Greek mythology.
This ancient tale is much more than just a typical story from Greek mythology, though. It touches the core of humanity’s relationship with nature. The life of Erysichthon with its twists and turns is actually a moral lesson about the consequences of disrespecting nature, a belief of the ancient Greek society that was particularly widespread.
Who was Erysichthon according to Greek mythology
According to ancient Greek mythology, Erysichthon was a monarch in Thessaly, a region south of Macedonia, in central Greece. His name, which means “earth-tearer” in Greek, foreshadows his fateful actions as it is part of an event that would define his fate later in life.
In some other accounts, he was also known as Aethon, however, he is mostly known as Erysichhton. The family lineage of Erysichthon is a subject of varying stories with different information in each.
He was most commonly considered the son of King Triopas, possibly by Hiscilla, the daughter of Myrmidon. However, other versions of this ancient Greek mythology tale claim that he was actually the son of Myrmidon himself, potentially by Peisidice, the daughter of Aeolus and Enarete.
Regardless of his parentage, Erysichthon was known to be the father of Mestra, who would play a significant role in his catastrophically tragic tale.
Arrogance and disrespect towards nature
Erysichthon became known for his blatant arrogance and disrespect for the Greek gods. His story is mostly known by poets such as Callimachus and Ovid, who include in their works variations of his life, focusing on his decisions prior to and after his choice to disregard the gods.
The downfall of Erysichthon began when the king decided to chop down a holy grove that was dedicated to Demeter, the ancient Greek goddess of agriculture. Erysichthon came up with the idea of chopping down this grove, even though it was more than just a group of trees.
According to Greek mythology, it was a very important sanctuary which was believed to be filled with divine presence and was home to a number of nymphs and ghosts, creatures well-revered in the ancient Greek world.
In the version of this Greek mythology tale produced by Callimachus, Erysichthon took twenty men with him to Demeter’s sacred grove, where he first cut down a black poplar tree cherished by the tree nymphs. The tree, according to legend, groaned as he wounded it, alerting goddess Demeter to the unholy act.
Despite repetitive warnings from his troops and even Demeter herself – who disguised herself as a mortal lady to appear in real life and discourage him – Erysichthon carried out his outrageously sacrilegious act. He rudely dismissed Demeter’s warnings, threatening to strike her with his axe and claiming -falsely- that he needed the tree to build an extension for his feasting hall.
Based on the poetic accounts we have, Erysichthon did cut down that great oak and consequently, killed the dryad who lived in it. This, understandably, made Demeter particularly angry, as Erysichthon had ignored her warnings.
Demeter condemns Erysichthon
In an act of retribution for his blatant arrogance, Demeter decided to curse Erysichthon with an insatiable appetite that would torment him forever, as he would never feel full, asking for more and more food to eat.
Therefore, Demeter summoned Limos, which was the spirit of insatiable hunger and instructed him to torment Erysichthon.
Erysichthon’s appetite was no longer satisfied by anything after that, no matter how much he ate. His hunger was so intense that he spent all of his money, trying to satisfy his unstoppable need for food.
Ovid’s account adds that Dionysus joined Demeter in punishing Erysichthon, inflicting an unquenchable thirst upon him as well, making his life even more miserable. The curse was so severe that even the parents of Erysichthon refused to visit him, and he quickly spent his wealth on food and drinks, trying to satisfy his never-ending desires.
Erysichthon’s unstoppable appetite led him to take unbelievably drastic measures, that no sane man would ever do.
Erysichthon sells his daughter
He sold all of his belongings, and when these ran out, he decided to sell his beloved daughter, Mestra. Erysichthon literally sold his daughter as a slave and used the money from this transaction to buy more food.
Poseidon, the god of the Seas, distraught by this personal tragedy, tried to grant Mestra the ability to change her physical shape, allowing her to escape her fate as a slave on several occasions in an attempt to help her find her lost freedom.
However, Erysichthon exploited this gift, repeatedly selling Mestra again and again, every time she would be able to return to her father. This kept happening for quite some time only for her to escape and return over and over again, providing him with a continuous source of income to feed his insatiable hunger.
Despite his dedication and endless efforts to satisfy his unstoppable hunger, the condition of Eresychthon deteriorated as time went by, eventually killing him.
In Ovid’s version, the tragic end is even more gruesome, with Erysichthon ultimately consuming his own flesh in a final, desperate attempt to satiate his hunger.
This fascinating Greek mythology tale of Erysichthon is frequently used as an allegory to remind people of the importance of environmental conservation.
His harsh sentencing by Demeter shows clearly the belief that people in ancient Greece had about those who misuse nature without regard for its holiness.
This is why the story of Erysichthon has become a symbol in public debates about environmentalism and sustainability, as the dangers of overusing natural resources without limit are more apparent than ever.
Greek mythology’s tale about Erysichton teaches us a lesson
Interestingly, the myth of Erysichthon has been interpreted in various ways throughout history. Palaephatus, who was an ancient Greek mythographer, attempted to rationalize the story of Eresychthon by suggesting that he was simply a wealthy man who spent his fortune on food and sold his daughter’s hand in marriage multiple times to sustain his extravagant and luxurious lifestyle.
This interpretation, obviously, withdraws the supernatural elements of Demeter and the other Greek gods who got angry because of his disrespect to the nymphs. However, it still retains the core theme of insatiable greed, which is common among people with a lot of power even to this day.
The story of Erysichthon also appears in unexpected places.
On the Pergamon Altar, which depicts the battle between gods and giants known as the Gigantomachy, there are remains of what seems to be Demeter fighting a giant labelled “Erysichthon”. This particular archaeological artefact suggests that the myth may have had broader significance in ancient Greek culture than initially thought, as it is not a very well-known tale nowadays.
