Hyginus Fabulae
142. Pandora. Prometheus, the son of Iapetus, was the first to create men from clay. Later, Vulcan, at Jupiter's bidding, created from clay the likeness of a woman. Minerva gave the likeness the breath of life, and all the other gods gave to her one give or another. On account of this, they named her Pandora. She was given for marriage to Epimetheus, Prometheus' brother. And from her was born Pyrrha, who is said to have been the first mortal created.

164. Athens — When there was a dispute between Neptune and Minerva which of them would found the first city in the land of Attica, they summoned Jupiter to adjudicate it. Minerva, because she planted the first olive tree in the land — a tree which is reputed still to stand there to this day — she was judged to win the contest. But Neptune was angered against her and began to desire to overwhelm the land with the sea; Mercury, however, at Jupiter's bidding kept this from happening. Therefore, Minerva founded Athens in her own name. This town is said to have been the first established in the land there.

165. Marsyas — Minerva is reputed to have fashioned the first double-flute from the bones of a deer, and she is said to have come playing it at a banquet of the gods. When Juno and Venus started laughing at her, because Minerva's eyes were going grey and she was blowing out her cheeks, and this made her look ugly while playing her song. So, she went to a spring in the woods on Mt Ida and she looked at her reflection in the water while she played. She saw that she had been laughed at deservedly. Therefore, she threw the pipes away and swore an oath that whoever picked them up would be afflicted with a serious punishment. A shepherd named Marsyas, the son of Oeagrus, who was one of the satyrs, found the pipes and by practising on them faithfully every day began to create a very sweet sound, insomuch that he challenged Apollo to a contest pitting pipes against lyre. When Apollo came to this contest, they enlisted the Muses as judges and, when Marsyas was determined to be the winner, Apollo played his lyre and the sound was the same. Marsyas, though, could not produce this on his pipes. And thus Apollo bound Marsyas to a tree and conveyed him to Scytha, and there removed his skin limb-by-limb. The part of his body that remained he handed over to Marsyas' student Olympus for burial. The river that was born from his blood is called the Marsyas.

168. Danaus — Danaus was the son of Belus. He had fifty daughters who wer born from his many wives. Aegyptus his brother, who had the same number of sons, wanted to murder his brother Danaus and his daughters so that could hold his father's kingdom alone. He demanded from his brother wives for his sons. When the plot was found out, Minerva helped Danaus flee from Argos to Africa. Then Minerva is said to have fashioned the first two-prow ship for Danaus to flee upon. But Aegyptus ascertained that Danaus had escaped and sent his sons to chase his brother down. And he commanded them to either slay Danaus or not return to him. After they got to Argos, they began to assail their uncle. And when Danaus saw that he could not hold them off, he promised them his daughters as wives — an attempt to keep them from fighting him. The sisters were bidden to receive their cousins as wives would; but at their father's bidding they each murdered their husband. Only Hypermestra saved the life of Lynceus. For this reason the others are reputed in the Underworld to carry water in perforated vases. A shrine was erected to Hypermestra and Lynceus.
—trans. RTM








Hyg. Fab., 142, 165, and 168:  
   Pandora. 142.
   Prometheus Iapeti filius primus homines ex luto finxit. postea Vulcanus Iouis iussu ex luto mulieris effigiem fecit, cui Minerua animam dedit, ceterique dii alius aliud donum dederunt; ob id Pandoram nominarunt. ea data in coniugium Epimetheo fratri; inde nata est Pyrrha, quae mortalis dicitur prima esse creata.

Marsyas. 165.
   Minerua tibias dicitur prima ex osse ceruino fecisse et ad epulum deorum cantatum uenisse. Iuno et Venus cum eam irriderent, quod et caesia erat et buccas inflaret, foeda uisa et in cantu irrisa in Idam siluam ad fontem uenit, ibique cantans in aqua se adspexit et uidit se merito irrisam; unde tibias abiecit et imprecata est ut quisquis eas sustulisset, graui afficeretur supplicio. (3) quas Marsyas Oeagri filius pastor unus e satyris inuenit, quibus assidue commeletando sonum suauiorem in dies faciebat, adeo ut Apollinem ad citharae cantum in certamen prouocaret. (4) quo ut Apollo uenit, Musas iudices sumpserunt, et cum iam Marsyas inde uictor discederet, Apollo citharam uersabat idemque sonus erat; quod Marsya tibiis facere non potuit. (5) itaque Apollo uictum Marsyan ad arborem religatum Scythae tradidit, qui cutem ei membratim separauit; reliquum corpus discipulo Olympo sepulturae tradidit, e cuius sanguine flumen Marsyas est appellatum.

Danaus. 168
   Danaus Beli filius ex pluribus coniugibus quinquaginta filias habuit, totidemque filios frater Aegyptus, qui Danaum fratrem et filias eius interficere uoluit ut regnum paternum solus obtineret; filiis uxores a fratre poposcit. (2) Danaus re cognita Minerua adiutrice ex Africa Argos profugit; tunc primum dicitur Minerua nauem fecisse biproram in qua Danaus profugeret. at Aegyptus ut resciit Danaum profugisse, mittit filios ad persequendum fratrem, et eis praecepit ut aut Danaum interficerent aut ad se non reuerterentur. (3) qui postquam Argos uenerunt, oppugnare patruum runt. Danaus ut uidit se eis obsistere non posse, pollicetur eis filias suas uxores ut pugna absisterent. (4) impetratas sorores patrueles acceperunt uxores, quae patris iussu uiros suos interfecerunt. sola Hypermestra Lynceum seruauit. (5) ob id ceterae dicuntur apud inferos in dolium pertusum aquam ingerere. Hypermestrae et Lynceo fanum factum est.