Zeuxo
Oceanid nymph whose name evokes yoking and binding together in union
The Myth of Zeuxo
Zeuxo was a daughter of Oceanus and Tethys named in Hesiod's Theogony among the company of Oceanids. Her name derives from the Greek verb zeugnumi, meaning to yoke or join together, connecting her to the agricultural and marital imagery central to Greek life. The yoking of oxen was among the most vital acts in ancient farming, and the metaphor extended to the joining of couples in marriage. Zeuxo thus represented the binding forces of nature and society. Though she appears in no independent narrative, her inclusion in Hesiod's authoritative list guaranteed her place in the canonical roster of the three thousand Oceanid sisters.
Parents
Oceanus and Tethys
Symbols
Fun Fact
The rhetorical figure zeugma takes its name from the same Greek root as this nymph
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
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