Metamorphoses

Peleus asks Ceyx why he is weeping. Ceyx draws Peleus’s attention to a bird of prey disturbing the other birds in the sky and says that bird used to be his brother, Daedalion. While Ceyx had a peace-loving nature, Daedalion had a passion for war. One day, Apollo and Mercury both catch sight of Daedalion’s beautiful daughter Chione and fall in love with her. Mercury immediately touches Chione with his sleep-inducing wand and rapes her. Meanwhile, Apollo waits till night comes, then disguises himself, sneaks into Chione’s bedroom, and rapes her.

Nine months later, Chione gives birth to twins, Autolycus and Philammon, the sons of Mercury and Apollo respectively. The glory of giving birth to the sons of two gods causes Chione to boast that she is more important than the goddess Diana. Furious, Diana pierces Chione’s tongue with an arrow. Then Chione dies in Ceyx’s arms. When Ceyx tells Daedalion the news, Daedalion is overcome with grief. He tries to throw himself on the burning funeral pyre, but he is held back. He runs to the top of a mountain and throws himself off a cliff. Apollo transforms him into a hawk—a bird that vents its rage on other birds.