Apollo's Abduction: Creusa's Struggle and Survival

Creusa was the sister of Procris and Orithyia, and she also suffered a horrendous experience but just like Orithyia, it all ended well. One day, when she was hardly more than child, she was by a cliff where there was a deep cave. She was collecting crocuses and right when she turned to go home, a man appeared from out of nowhere and got here. Apollo was the man abducting her and he carried her off to the dark cave as she screamed for help. She hated him, especially when the time came for her child to be born and he showed no sign, no aid. She did not want to tell her parents that her lover was a god and could not be resisted as this was not an accepted excuse. She ran every risk of being killed if she confessed. So when she was going to give

birth, she did it in the same dark cave. She then left her son there to die. Later, driven by agony and longing to know what had happened to him, she returned but found no signs of him.

No blood, no baby, and none of the stuff she had left with him was there either. Then, after a time, she married Xuthus, who helped her father in war so she was given to him as a reward. He was considered a stranger and an alien and when they weren’t able to have children, the Athenians did not see it as a misfortune. Xuthus did see this as a misfortune as he greatly desired a son. The two then went to Delphi to find out the truth. Creusa left her husband in the town and went to the sanctuary by herself. She found a young man at the outer court and started a conversation with him, not knowing that this man was her son. The young man stated that she seemed to have good fortune and was blessed. She denied this. He then introduced himself as Ion and told her that he did not know where came from and how he was found by Apollo's priestess and prophetess lying on the temple stairway. He also tells her how they took care of him like a mother and how is happy to serve and work for the temple. She then tells him how she came to Delphi to talk to Apollo about her story, but instead of saying that the story was about her, she said it was about a friend of

hers. Ion then denied this stating that Apollo would never do such a thing. Then Xuthus came announcing that Apollo declared Ion as his son but he did declare who the mother was. Creusa was enraged by this as she did not want the child of some unknown woman with them. The priestess then came to Ion, handing him the things they found him with when he was first discovered. Creusa then realized that Ion was her son since those items were the same ones she left her son with when she abandoned him. She then proclaimed this to Ion who did not believe her at first, but she then proved it to Ion’s astonishment. Right after, a vision of Athena appeared to the two confirming the fact that Creusa is Ion’s mother and she told her that he was worthy of ruling Athens. It all ended well as they all returned back to Athens.