hyakinthos

Hyakinthos, also rendered Hyacinthus (Greek: Ὑάκινθος), is a figure in Greek mythology known primarily as a beautiful youth who becomes associated with the god Apollo. In various ancient sources he is described as a companion or beloved of Apollo, and his story centers on a fatal accident that leads to his transformation into a flower.

The most common version of the myth portrays Hyakinthos and Apollo playing a game of discus. A sudden gust of wind, sometimes identified as Zephyrus the West Wind, disrupts the throw and strikes Hyakinthos, killing him. In other tellings the wind is merely the agent of mischance, but the result is the same: the youth dies, and Apollo or the gods mourn him. From Hyakinthos’s spilled blood, a flower—the hyacinth—springs forth, and the plant becomes the enduring memorial of the youth.

The hyacinth flower is traditionally linked with spring and themes of remembrance and lamentation. In art and poetry, Hyakinthos’s death is a vehicle for exploring love, loss, and transformation. The myth was transmitted in Greek literature and later adapted by Roman poets, including Ovid, who recount the metamorphosis of the youth into a flower.

Etymology and legacy: The name Hyakinthos gave rise to the flower name hyacinth in many languages. The plant genus Hyacinthus, including cultivated species such as Hyacinthus orientalis, is named after the mythic figure, reflecting the long-standing cultural connection between the myth and horticulture.