Cephalus

Cephalus (se'fälus) [key], in Greek mythology, husband of Procris. The two swore eternal fidelity, but Eos, who had fallen in love with Cephalus, persuaded him to test his wife. Cephalus disguised himself and offered to pay Procris to commit adultery. When she yielded, he angrily deserted her. Later they were reconciled; but eventually Procris became suspicious and followed Cephalus one night while he was hunting. Mistaking his wife for an animal, Cephalus killed her. He then wandered for many years but was unable to escape his grief and finally leaped to his death from a precipice.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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