Beetles and Ancient Greek Mythology

The Stage Beetle (Lucanus cervus) -

Is the largest beetle in Europe and has been known by humans since ancient times. Here is some specific information on mentions of the beetle in Ancient Greek mythology as well as games children would play with the beetles:

“The first written sources, in which the stag beetle is mentioned, appear in ancient Greece by the Greek poet Sophokles. In one of his Satyr plays, the resemblance between the lyre and the head of the stag beetle is mentioned. Aristophanes in a comedy describes a children’s game that was widespread in ancient Greece and in another comedy, a further, more obvious reference to the custom of tying beetles with a thread. These verses remind us of a common children’s game of the past century played in rural areas throughout Europe. Children would collect beetles, tie a thread to a leg, and then allow the beetle to fly about on the tether”. https://hal.science/hal-03530660/document

This is a translation of the Greek mythos that shows the Stag Beetle being mentioned in ancient texts. It shows how Kerambos (or Cerumbus) was cursed by the Nymphs.

“Kerambos, with the arrogance of youth, decided--as though smitten by some god--not to drive his beasts from Othrys to the plain. He also uttered graceless and mindless things to the Nymphai, saying they were not descended from Zeus, but that Deino had given birth to them, with the River Sperkheios (Spercheus) was the father. He also said that Poseidon, for lust of one of them, Diopatre (Diopatra), had made her sisters put down roots and turned them into poplars until, satiated with his desires, he had returned them to their original shapes. Thus did Kerambos taunt the Nymphai. After a short while there came a sudden frost and the streams froze. Much snow fell on the flocks of Kerambos and they were lost to sight as well as were the trees and paths. The Nymphai, in anger against Kerambos because of his slanders, changed him into a wood-gnawing kerambyx beetle. He can be seen on trunks and has hook-teeth, ever moving his jaws together. He is black, long, and has hard wings like a great dung beetle. He is called the ox that eats wood and, among the Thessalians, kerambyx. Boys use him as a toy, cutting off his head, to wear as a pendant. The head looks like the horns of a lyre made from a tortoiseshell." - Translated by Antoninus Liberalis, Metamorphoses 22 (trans. Celoria) (Greek mythographer, Circa 2nd A.D.)

https://www.theoi.com/Nymphe/NymphaiSperkheides.html

The Dung Beetle (Coleoptrera):

Was what Ancient Egyptians would use in art and jewelry and is known as a "Scarab". They are usually dark in color although some have a metallic sheen.

The Greek Giant Aristaios (Aristaeus): Survived the war with the gods and fled to Sicily (Sikelia) where his mother Gaia turned him into a dung beetle (

Suidas s.v. Aristaios (trans. Suda On Line) (Byzantine Greek Lexicon C10th A.D.) : "Aristaios (Aristaeus) : One of the Gigantes (Giants), who survived . . . Aristaios, the story goes, was the only Gigante to survive, on the Sikelion (Sicilian) mountain called Aitne (Etna); the fire of heaven did not reach him, and nor did Aitne harm him."

Suidas s.v. Aitnaios kantharos (trans. Suda On Line) (Byzantine Greek Lexicon C10th A.D.) : "Aitnaios kantharos (Dung-beetle of Etna) : The big [kind]. Because the mountain [is] also big. They say that Aristaios (Aristaeus) was the only Gigante (Giant) to survive; the fire of heaven did not reach him, nor did Aitna (Etna) harm him."

Cicada

Although not an underground species for the entirety of their lives, they do spend time during their life cycle when they are nymphs. They are known for their sound making ability and are recognized in greek mythology (particularly by Aristotle) for their seeming ability to resurrect and seemed almost immortal.

TITHONUS (Tithonos) A handsome shepherd/prince carried off by the dawn-goddess Eos. She obtained the gift of immortality for him but forgot to ask for eternal youth and in time he shriveled up and was transformed into a cicada.

Socrates on Cicadas-

“The story goes that the cicadas used to be human beings who lived before the birth of the Muses. When the Muses were born and song was created for the first time, some of the people of that time were so overwhelmed with the pleasure of singing that they forgot to eat or drink; so they died without even realizing it.

It is from them that the race of the cicadas came into being; and, as a gift from the Muses, they have no need of nourishment once they are born. Instead, they immediately burst into song, without food or drink, until it is time for them to die. After they die, they go to the Muses and tell each one of them which mortals have honored her.”