Cerynian Hind
In Greek mythology, Cerynitis was the legendary Ceryneian Hind. Its name was Cerynitis and it was sacred to Artemis. She had found a herd of five one day and captured four to pull her chariot, but the fifth escaped to Mt. Cerynaea, on the border of Achaea and Arcadia.
It was a bronze-hoofed, large animal with golden horns or antlers.
For his fourth labor, Heracles had to capture Cerynitis. He tracked it for a whole year through Greece, Thrace, Istria and the land of the Hyperboreans. When it finally stopped to drink, Heracles shot it with an arrow that was not covered with the poisonous blood of the centaurs. This rendered the animal lame and easy to carry back to Eurystheus.
Eurystheus had given Heracles this task hoping to get Artemis angry at him for desecrating her sacred animal. On the way back with the Hind, Heracles found Artemis and her twin, Apollo. He begged her for forgiveness and she granted it as long as he promised to return the Hind, foiling Eurystheus' plan. Upon bringing the hind to Eurystheus, he was told that it was to become part of the King's menagerie. Heracles knew that he had to return the hind as he had promised to Artemis, so he agreed to hand it over on the condition that Eurystheus himself came out and took it from him. The King came out but the moment Heracles let the hind go, it sprinted back to her mistress, and Heracles left saying that Eurystheus had not been quick enough.
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A Hind is also a type of military helicopter, manufactured by Russia.
Referenced By
Eurystheus | Heracles | Herakles | Heraklês | Hercle | The Twelve Labors | Twelve Labors
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