Long ago, when the children of the Gods still fought alongside men, a great battle was fought at Troy. Memnon, the son of Eos, Goddess of the Dawn, engaged in battle with Achilles, the seemingly invincible son of Peleus. The battle was spectacular to behold, and the immortals watched in increasing agitation, torn between the two Demigods. Lest a bitter feud break out among them, Zeus sent the daemones of violent death, the Twin Keres down to the battlefield to end the brawl, one dark to cast her shadow upon Memnon’s heart, and one light, to halo Achilles in her radiance. Thunderous noise erupted in the heavens at the outcome, half in anguish for the demise of Memnon, half in joy for the victory of Achilles, an equal match of sorrow and joy.
Alas, no one’s grief compared to the devastation that befell Eos at the falling of her son. At once, she palled herself in clouds and blocked out even the light of Helios, darkening the Earth. The winds, who were also her children, took hands as they glided across Priam’s plain to retrieve Memnon’s beloved body, hearts aching for the loss of their brother. The hearts of men were filled with gloom as the moaning winds filled their ears, and this gloom was mingled with fear and awe as the winds lifted their King into the air and bore him hence through the mists to his mother’s side at the Aisepos’ stream. Eos wailed at the sight of her blood-stained son; so great was her grief that the Horai, the star nymphs and Helios, the very sun, joined her in her mourning, plunging the world of men into further darkness.
Eos spoke, “Dear, dear light of my heart! Now that you are slain, I will not endure to light the Immortal Heavenly Ones! I shall plunge myself into the depths of Hades’ realm and leave the earth, sky and sea to the blinding night until Khaos and formless darkness rule the hearts of men that Kronos’ son, whose cruelty has taken you from me, learns what it means to anguish in the heart. My miserable soul shall love darkness evermore than day, lest I pour light on your slayer’s head!” Thusly she swore, tears running down her immortal face. Nyx, dearest sister to Eos was so moved by her grief that she enveloped her in a sea of darkness, a loving and yet comfortless embrace where they wailed as one, lost in their sorrow.
Zeus would allow no more! He sent the full wrath of his Thunder to rock the Earth around Eos, who came forward, shaken out of the depths of her grief. At once, the dark and mystical Aithiopians swiftly buried Memnon from her sight. As they continued to wail incessantly, Eos changed them to birds to sweep the air around the barrow of the Mighty Dead where they continued in their lament and scatter dust upon his grave. Once this awful work was done, Eos was advised to return to her work or face the full wrath of Zeus, which was far greater even than her grief.
At the end of the day, when her work is done, Eos can hear the echoes of those mourning birds, even now lamenting the doom of Memnon. And each morning as she returns to her work, the evidence of her eternal sorrow lies on every blade of grass as morning dew until her brother, Helios, dries her tears with the warmth of his love.
