Erichthonius

Greek Legendary king of Athens. According to Homer, Erichthonius was the son of the lame god, Hephaestus, and Gaia. He grew out of semen spilled by Hephaestus when he tried to force his attentions on the goddess Athene. Earth nourished the seed and the child, Erichthonius, was born. In a later story, Athene placed the child in a basket and gave him to the daughters of Cecrops, legendary first king of Athens, to look after. She forbade them to open the basket but the women could not resist. When they saw what was inside, they ran off screaming, for the child was half serpent. It is common in Greek mythology for men born of the soil to be represented as half serpent, for serpents were regarded as the essential Earth creatures in ancient times. After Erichthonius became king, he established the worship of Athene in Athens.