Polyphonte (Ancient Greek: means 'slayer of many') is a character in Greek mythology, transformed into a strix.
Family
Polyphonte was the daughter of Hipponous and Thrassa; her grandparents on her mother's side were the war god Ares and Tereine, a daughter of the river god Strymon.
Mythology
The story of her life is contained in only one source, namely Antoninus Liberalis's Metamorphoses. Antonius cites Boeus’ second book, ‘The Origin of Birds’ as the source of the story; however, Boeus’ work has been lost.
Wrath of Aphrodite
Wishing to remain a virgin, Polyphonte fled to the mountains to become a companion of Artemis. This provoked the ire of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and procreation, who viewed Polyphonte's decision as a personal affront. To punish Polyphonte for failing to honor her womanly duty, Aphrodite drove her mad and caused her to lust after a bear.
