Helle

Helle, also Ellie, in Greek mythology, was a maiden who, with her brother Phrixus, fled on the golden-fleeced ram to escape from the cruelty of her step-dame Ino, and fell into the strait called the Hellespont after her, in which she was drowned. Helle was twin sister of Phrixus. King Athamas of Boeotia and the half-nymph Nephele were their parents. They were hated by their stepmother Ino who had hatched a plot to kill them. She roasted seeds that would not grow and farmers asked for assistance from oracle. Ino bribed the men to lie that oracle required sacrifice of Phrixus. They were rescued by golden-fleeced ram sent by their natural mother. Helle turned into sea-goddess, and Phrixus survived all the way to Colchis, where King Aeetes took him in and treated him kindly, giving Phrixus his daughter, Chalciope, in marriage. With the Greek god Poseidon, Helle was the mother of the giant Almops and Paeon (called Edonus in some accounts).

Nearby pages
Hellenists, Helminthiasis, Heloise, Helots, Helpdesk, Helsingfors