In Greek mythology, Cleocharia (/ˌkliːoʊˈkɛəriə/;[1] Ancient Greek: Κλεοχαρείας Kleokhareia) was a naiad of Laconia who later on became the queen-consort of King Lelex of Lelegia. She was the ancestress of the Spartan royal family and gave birth to Eurotas (presumably named after his grandfather). Eurotas had a daughter named Sparta, who married Lacedaemon.[2] The latter named the city of Sparta after his wife. However, the city's name would also be his own, as it was called either Lacedaemon or Sparta interchangeably.
Cleocharia | |
---|---|
Member of the Sparta Royal Family | |
Abode | Lelegia (later called Laconia) |
Personal information | |
Parents | ?Eurotas |
Siblings | unknown |
Consort | Lelex |
Children | (1) Eurotas (2) ?Myles and Polycaon |
In some accounts, Lelex's two children were Myles and Polycaon possibly by Cleocharia. In this account, Myles was the father of Eurotas instead.[3]