(From the constellation Hydra, Crater – the Crow) Concerning the Crater, Phylarchus tells this story. In the Cheronesus, which is located near Troy, where the tomb of Protesilaus lies, there is a city called Eleusa. During the reign of a certain, Demiphon, widespread devastation and an unexpected plague befell the city. Demiphon, greatly perturbed, sent to the oracle of Apollo to inquire how the devastation might be halted. The response of the oracle was that a maiden of noble birth must be sacrificed each year on the altar of the city’s gods. Demiphon, choosing the maidens by lottery, sacrificed all other daughters save his own, until one of the well-born citizens complained of the practice to Demiphon. This man said he would not allow his daughter to be part of the lottery unless the daughters of the king were part of it as well. The king was angered and, selecting that man’s daughter without a lottery, put her to death. The maiden’s father, Mastusius by name, pretended at the time that he would not be angry since the deed was done on behalf of their country, for the lot might have fallen to her later, and she might have perished nonetheless. After a few days, the father of the maiden lulled the king into forgetfulness, then, when he had shown himself to be most kindly disposed toward the king, claimed that he was preparing a solemn sacrifice and invited the king and his daughters. The king, not suspecting that anything untoward was about to happen, sent his daughters ahead, as he was occupied with matters of state and planned to come later. When what Mastusius had greatly hoped for happened, he slew the king’s daughters and, mixing their blood with the wine in the wine jar, ordered that it be offered to the king to drink as he approached. When the king looked for his daughters and discovered what happened to them, he ordered that Mastusius be thrown into the sea, along with the wine jar. For that reason, the sea into which he was thrown was called Mastusian in him memory, and the port to this day called Crater (wine jar). The ancient astronomers configured it among the stars so that men might be reminded that no one can profit from an evil deed, and that evil deeds cannot be forgotten. (Hyginus, Poetic Astronomy,2.40 ff)
