Achelois is a minor Greek goddess associated with the moon and its monthly cycle.
Genealogy and Family[]
According to one story, she is a daughter of Asclepius, the Olympian god of healing and his wife Epione, the personification of the soothing of pain and the care needed in recovery, making her a sister of The Asclepiades, Machaon, Podalirius and Telephorus. However, according to the Greek poet Tzetzes, Achelois was one of The Muses, a group of goddesses dedicated to inspiring literature, science and the arts, with The Muses being the children of Zeus, the King of the Gods and Mnemosyne, the Titan goddess of Memory.
Role and Significance[]
Achelois has been translated in English as “she who washes away pain”, and she was often looked to by the ancient Greeks as a source of comfort and healing.
Achelois was associated with the oracle at Dodona, located in the Epirus region of northwestern Greece. The Dodonian Oracle is widely believed to be one of the oldest Hellenic (Greek) oracles. Oracles acted as intermediaries between people and gods, and were viewed by many as the means by which the gods could speak directly with humans. Homer, famous for writing the Iliad and the Odyssey, chronicled the Dodonian Oracle which dates back as far as 2,000 BCE.
While the Dodonian Oracle was known for its association with major Greek deities, including Zeus, the king of the gods on Mt. Olympus, the oracle also frequently directed that sacrifices should be made to Achelois. These sacrifices were meant to act as a request for her assistance in curing illness.
Trivia[]
Achelois is also thought to be the surname, or family name, of the Sirens, daughters of the river god Achelous The Sirens famously lured sailors toward the rocky coastline, leading to many shipwrecks
Achelois further serves as a general name for water nymphs, minor female nature deities.
Her Greek name is Ἀχελωίς it is pronounced A-khe-LO-ees
Sources[]
Achelois • Facts and Information on the Goddess Achelois (greekgodsandgoddesses.net)