Alpheus and Arethusa
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Alpheus was known as the river god who fell in love with Alpheus, a follower of the goddess of virginity and chastity, Artemis. As expected she did not want to have anything to do with men, much to the dismay of her suitor. But when she swam in the river of Alpheus, he went after her. To be free from his arms, Arethusa asked Artemis’ help and she turned into a spring, which is said to be the underground channel in Syracuse. Click the next ARROW to see the next image!
Apollo and Cassandra
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Another failed love story in Greek mythology is the one between Cassandra and Apollo. According to the myth, the latter was head over heels with the daughter of the king and queen of Troy. He was so in love that he promised to give her the ability to prophesy if she will accept his love. She agreed but did not keep her word. In anger, Apollo cursed her. Cassandra was killed by Agamemnon. Click the next ARROW to see the next image!
Poseidon and Demeter
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Even if Demeter was the sister of Poseidon, both were children of Cronus and Rhea, the god of the sea wanted to take her sister. Demeter did not agree and transformed herself into a mare. Unfortunately, Poseidon knew this and so he turned into a horse. Consequently, he was able to do what he wanted and they had two children. Click the next ARROW to see the next image!
Ariadne and Theseus
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This is another sad story of unrequited love that also ended in tragedy. The daughter of the king and queen of Crete, Ariadne, was so in love with Theseus, an Athenian hero who traveled to Crete to slay Minotaur. Ariadne helped him out by giving him a sword and a thread he used for his mission. Despite her love and kindness, Ariadne never received the love she wanted from Theseus. Two stories exist about her death. One was that she was left by Theseus at the island of Naxos to die and the other one was that she hung herself. Click the next ARROW to see the next image!
Asteria, Zeus and Poseidon
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Asteria was the goddess of nighttime and falling stars while Zeus was the god of thunder and the sky. Both were children of Titans and it is said that they were even related. Poseidon, on the other hand, was the god of the sea and the brother of Zeus. Both brothers fell for Asteria but she did not feel the same. When Zeus chased her, she transformed into a quail and became an island in the Aegean Sea. Conversely, when Poseidon ran after her, she became the island of Delos. Click the next ARROW to see the next image!
Galatea and Polyphemus
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Galatea, a “Nereid” and one of the daughters of Nereud and Doris caught the eye of Polyphemus, who was the son of Poseidon and Thoosa. However, what could have been a love story did not become real since Galatea’s heart was already owned by Acis, the son of Pan and Symaethis. When Polyphemus saw the two together, he threw boulders at them as they fled until Acis was hit by one and died. Galatea, in her grief, turned her dead lover into a spring. Click the next ARROW to see the next image!
Apemosyne and Hermes
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This is a story that can be considered not only as a failed seduction but also of tragedy. When Hermes, a deity, felt the urge to make a mortal fall for his charms, he failed. Princess Apemosyne of Crete was seen by Hermes and chased her. He tricked her by placing hides on the path she walked upon. The result, he got her pregnant. Althaemenes, the brother of Apemosyne, did not believe her that a deity would do such a thing to a mortal and instead kicked her endlessly until she died. Click the next ARROW to see the next image!
Athena and Hephaestus
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The story surrounding the life of Hephaestus is somewhat complicated and so was his love life. Aside from the debate on whether he was the son of Zeus and Hera or of Hera alone, he fell in love with Athena while still married to Aphrodite. As one of the virgin goddesses, she did not want to get pregnant. When Hephaestus tried, he failed and instead, his sperm fell on the goddess Gaea. Click the next ARROW to see the next image!
Salmacis and Hermaphroditus
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In biology, a hermaphrodite is an organism with both male and female reproductive organs. In Greek mythology, however, Hermaphroditus was the son of Hermes and Aphrodite but his story is not far from the term “hermaphrodite” we know. According to the myth, a nymph known as Salmacis fell in love with him but Hermaphroditus did not feel the same. When she saw him jump into the river, she grabbed him and prayed for them not to be apart. What happened was that their bodies were combined, thus Hermaphroditus became both a man and a woman. Click the next ARROW to see the next image!
Apollo and Daphne
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When the god of the Sun and music, Apollo was smitten by the beauty of the nymph Daphne, he chased her into the woods. The daughter of the Peneus, the river god, she did not have feelings for Apollo nor was she interested in the admiration given to her by men. As her ardent admirer pursued her, she prayed to her father and Mother Earth for help and was turned to a laurel tree.