Callirhoë (Calydon)

This article is about the Calydonian maiden. For other uses, see Callirhoe (mythology).

In Greek mythology, Callirhoë (/kəˈlɪroʊiː/; Ancient Greek: Καλλιρόη, romanized: Kallirhóē, lit. 'beautiful-flowing') is a beautiful maiden from Calydon, an ancient Greek kingdom. Callirhoë was loved by a priest named Coresus but her rejection of him caused a horrific plague to ravage Calydon by the wrath of Dionysus, the god that Coresus served. The curse would only be lifted if Callirhoë was sacrificed to the god. Her myth is preserved in the writings of Pausanias, a Greek traveller of the second century AD.

Although little-known and not as notable as others, Callirhoë's myth found its audience during the early modern period and the Renaissance, inspiring a number of works among western artists, including plays, operas, poetry and paintings.

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