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Memnon, a MythSource painting
Greek

Memnon

01Identity

Memnon in Greek tradition

Memnon is remembered in Ovid's account through the grief of Aurora, his mother. She sees him fall on the Phrygian plain, and the rosy light of morning pales as clouds hide the sky. Aurora cannot bear to watch her son's body laid upon the funeral pyre. With her hair loose, she falls at Jupiter's knees and asks for an honour for Memnon, rather than temples, sacrifices, or altars for herself.

Jupiter assents, and the lofty pyre sinks as black smoke darkens the day. Its embers fly, gather into one body, and take on heat and life. They first flutter like birds, then become birds; three times they circle the pyre, crying together. On their fourth flight, they split into two hostile companies and fight above the ashes. The birds are called Memnonides after their progenitor. When the Sun has passed through the twelve signs, they fight again in his honour.

SourceThe Metamorphoses of Ovid, The Memnonid Birds, printed pp. 460–461

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02The myths

The myths of Memnon

1 myth, with sources recorded for each.

The Memnonid Birds

Memnon's mother saw him die by Achilles' spear on the Phrygian plain. The rosy colour of morning faded from her face, and clouds hid the sky. Eos could not bear to watch her son's body laid on the funeral flames. She went to Jupiter with her hair loose and asked for an honour for Memnon. She did not ask for temples or sacrifices for herself. She reminded Jupiter that she kept the boundary between night and dawn, then asked him to ease a mother's grief.

Jupiter nodded. The high pyre sank, and black smoke dimmed the day. Embers flew from the fire, gathered together and took on heat and life. They grew wings and became birds. The new company circled the pyre three times, crying together. On the fourth flight they divided into two hostile groups. They fought with beaks and claws above the ashes, and bodies fell as offerings to the tomb. The birds were called Memnonides after their forebear. When the Sun had passed through the twelve signs, they fought again in honour of the one from whom they had come.

The Memnonid Birds, a MythSource painting of the scene

3 sources· checked 2026-10-01

  1. 1The Metamorphoses of OvidT1
  2. 2The Metamorphoses of OvidT1
  3. 3The Metamorphoses of OvidT1

Also mentioned in

Stories elsewhere on MythSource that mention Memnon, each on that figure’s page.