Libya (mythology)
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{{For|the present-day North African nation|Libya}}
{{Argive genealogy in Greek mythology}}
'''Libya''' is the name given to both a region of [[North Africa]] ([[Ancient Libya]]) and a daughter of [[Epaphus]], King of Egypt, in both [[Greek mythology|Greek]] and [[Roman mythology]].
==Greek mythology==
[[Image:Herodotus world map-en.svg|left|thumb|Ancient map from [[Herodotus]] showing the area of Libya in north Africa, circa 450 BC.]]
In [[Greek mythology]], Libya, like [[Ethiopia (Mythology)|Ethiopia]] or [[Scythia]] was one of the mythic outlands that encircled the familiar Greek world of the Hellenes and their "foreign" neighbors.
Personified as an individual, Libya was the daughter of [[Epaphus]] — a son of [[Zeus]] and King of Egypt — and [[Memphis (mythology)|Memphis]]. Libya was ravished by the god [[Poseidon]] to whom she bore twin sons, [[Belus (Egyptian)|Belus]] and [[Agenor and Phoenix|Agenor]]. Some sources name a third son, named [[Lelex]]. Such genealogies, when applied to a personification of a land, were suggestive to Greek audiences, but need some explication for ordinary modern readers.
==Roman mythology==
In [[Roman mythology]], Libya was the daughter of Epaphus, King of Egypt, and his wife Cassiopeia. She married [[Neptune (mythology)|Neptune]], a foreigner of much power whose real name is unknown. Libya and Neptune had a son called [[Abusir|Busiris]], whom became a brutal tyrant of [[Upper Egypt]]. <ref>Virginia Brown's translation of Giovanni Boccaccio’s ''Famous Women'', pp. 24-25; Harvard University Press 2001; ISBN 0-674-01130-9</ref>
The territory that she ruled, [[Ancient Libya]], and the country of modern day [[Libya]] are named after her.<ref>Id., p. 25</ref>
== Notes ==
{{reflist}}
==References==
*Isidore, ''Etymologiae'' xiv.4.1, 5.1
*Augustine, ''De civitate dei'' xviii.12
*Lactantius Placidus, ''Commentarii in Sattii Thebaida'' iv.737
[[Category:Locations in Greek mythology]]
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[[ru:Ливия (мифология)]]
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