TRAGIC-SATIRICAL

CYTHLOVES

On the day Olympus was built, all gods and goddesses rejoiced and feasted. Olympus was filled with dancing and singing and the gods’ and goddesses’ temple were filled with food and offerings. After the long day celebration, Zeus went down to Earth to bathe and cleanse himself. He went looking for perfect water and at the ends of the Earth found the Mycinth river. 

Zeus enjoyed the coldness of the river and wanted it so bad. So, he decided to go down every fifth day to Mycinth. One day while bathing, Zeus eyed a lovely girl who brought her cow to the river for a water to drink. The girl was Cyth, the daughter of Poseidon and the mortal Cynthia. Just like her mother, Cyth was a mortal. She lived alone in a small house near the river since the day her mother passed away. At the first sight, Zeus fell in love with her. He could hardly resist the girl’s beauty for her rosy cheeks, snow-like skin and reddish lips.

Now, Zeus started to go down from Olympus everyday just to see Cyth. At one time when he went to the river, he saw Cyth bathing herself. All the more did Zeus fell the longing for her. So he swam beneath the waters and held Cyth’s feet. In deep fright, Cyth jumped but Zeus held him tight. She started crying for fear but when she looked at him, her tears were dried for he was so handsome and she recognized him.

Zeus confessed to her his feelings and she too, to him. She admitted that she liked him but she was afraid of Hera. Zeus told her to fear no one for he was going to protect her. Cyth was glad to hear that from him and she fell deeply in love with him. So, they spent the night together in the little cottage she had.

The following morning, Zeus went to the river again and spent another night with Cyth and sooner did it everyday. At one day, Hera saw Zeus in a hurry. She noticed him going down to the Earth everyday so she asked him why. Zeus just replied that he badly wanted the waters of the Earth and wanted to spend the whole day in it. Hera nodded with suspicion but let go of him. Hera disguised herself in the figure of a cow. Then, she followed him down to the Earth and to Mycinth. 

Zeus saw the cow and knew that it was his wife’s trick. So, he placed a cave to cover Cyth and upon reaching the water dove into it. Hera saw how he enjoyed the water so she went back to Olympus and left Zeus there. 

When she was gone, he immediately rose from the water and went to Cyth underneath the cave and he apologized for being late but Cyth inquired on what had happened why her love was late. With full honesty, Zeus confessed about Hera’s trick. Cyth went mad and cried. She told him that she was telling him this. So she decided to break up with him but he was deeply in love with her. Zeus would not want to let go of Cyth. He said he will fulfill his promise to protect her. He turned her into a dove and brought her to Olympus.

He brought her into his room and Hera did not recognize her for she was in the form of a dove but at night, the dove turned into Cyth’s human figure so they could spend the night together. By day, she was a dove and by night, she was a woman.

Zeus was rejoicing at the great thing he had done but little did he knew about what would happen next. Athena arrived from her temple in the morning and saw Zeus’ new pet. She wanted it so much so she asked him to have it for herself but Zeus would not give it. She insisted and Zeus was forced to agree but he promised to give it the following day. Zeus was quick enough so he sent Hermes to the Earth and told him to look for a dove that looked like it. Before the sun went down, Hermes was back with the dove he wanted. That night, Hera borrowed Aphrodite’s girdle and asked Zeus to sleep with her but he refused since he would be sleeping with Cyth. Hera insisted that if he would not want to sleep with her in her room, then she would be sleeping in his room. Zeus had a hard time to plan but at last, he came up with a decision. He said he would be sleeping with her but he would be late.

So, he went straight to his room to see his lover who waited him. There, he explained to Cyth that Hera would want to sleep with him and he had to agree so that she would not suspect them. Cyth was sad but she allowed him. Zeus left her a kiss and went straight to Hera’s room with the real dove for she might be wondering why it was not with him. He slept with her.

The following morning, he hurried to see Athena. He gave the dove he promised her but as soon as it landed on her hand, its feathers started to fell off one by one. Zeus’ heart beat faster and he grew frightened for he suspected something. So, he went straight to his room and saw blood flowing over the whole room and Cyth’s body that laid dead. He hugged her human body and felt sorry. He knew that her jealousy brought her to such fate. He cried loudly and Hera heard it. So, she went to his room with Athena and saw blood all over the place but did not see her body. They saw Zeus hugging his beloved dove and they were sorry about it. They too became sad but they did not know it was Zeus’ lover.

Zeus made her grave in his room and everyday he cried for leaving her alone that night. Hera and Athena saw him in his deep grief so they brought him another lovely dove to relieve him. Zeus liked the dove and talked to it like it was his lover. He named it after her, Cyth. That day onwards, all doves owned by Zeus’ people were called Cythloves.