ARISTAEUS, a divinity whose worship was widely spread throughout ancient Greece, but concerning whom the myths are somewhat obscure. The name is derived from the Greek aptoros, "best." According to the generally received account, Apollo car ried off the nymph Cyrene from Mount Pelion in Thessaly, and conveyed her to Libya, where she gave birth to Aristaeus. Having been brought up by the or by the centaur Cheiron, he left Libya and went to Thebes. Here he received instruction from the Muses in the arts of healing and prophecy and became the son-in-law of Cadmus and the father of Actaeon (q.v.) . He is said to have visited Ceos, where, by erecting a temple to Zeus Ikrnaios (the giver of moisture), he freed the inhabitants from a terrible drought. After travelling extensively, Aristaeus reached Thrace where he finally disappeared near Mount Haemus. `'While in Thrace he is said to have caused the death of Eurydice, who was bitten by a snake while fleeing from him.
Aristaeus was essentially a benevolent diety; he introduced the cultivation of bees (Virgil, Georg. iv., 315-558) and the vine and olive ; he was the protector of herdsmen and hunters ; he warded off the evil effects of the dog-star, and possessed the arts of heal ing and prophecy. He was often identified with Zeus, Apollo and Dionysus. In ancient sculptures and on coins he is represented as a young man, dressed like a shepherd, and sometimes carrying a sheep on his shoulders.