In Greek mythology, Aero (also rendered Haero or Aëro; Ancient Greek: Αἱρὼ, meaning “to take up,” “raise,” or “lift up”) was a princess of the island of Chios. She was the daughter of King Oenopion and the nymph Helice, and she was sometimes identified with the name Merope【1†L1-L4】.
According to the myth, the hunter Orion, son of Hyrieus, fell in love with Aero and sought her hand in marriage. Oenopious, reluctant to give his daughter to Orion, repeatedly postponed the wedding. In response, Orion, intoxicated, forced his way into the chamber where Aero slept. Oenopious intervened, striking Orion with a burning brand and blinding him【1†L5-L9】.
The tale of Aero is recorded in fragmentary sources, including the Catasterismi attributed to Pseudo‑Eratosthenes (citing Hesiod) and the works of Parthenius of Nicaea, as cited in modern compilations such as Robert E. Bell’s Women of Classical Mythology【1†L10-L12】.
References
- Wikipedia contributors. “Aero (mythology).” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, last edited 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aero_(mythology).
- Bell, Robert E. Women of Classical Mythology: A Biographical Dictionary. ABC‑CLIO, 1991. ISBN 9780874365818.
- Parthenius, Love Romances, translated by Sir Stephen Gaselee, Loeb Classical Library, vol. 69, Harvard University Press, 1916.
Categories: Princesses in Greek mythology; Greek mythological royalty.