Eileithyia

Goddess of childbirth. Eileithyia was the daughter of Zeus and Hera. Eileithyia was the sister of Ares and Hebe, and possibly of Eris. Eileithyia was the patroness of midwives.

Eileithyia played her parts under the shadow of her mother (Hera). When Leto was pregnant with Apollo and Artemis, Hera persecuted the Titaness. Being a daughter of Hera, Eileithyia did not help Leto with childbirth. Artemis was born first. Not even a day old, Artemis assisted her mother to give birth to Apollo.

She also delayed the birth of Heracles so that Heracles' cousin, Eurystheus would become king instead of the great hero. Alcmene and Heracles would have died because of the delay, had not Alcmene's midwife tricked Eileithyia.

According to one poet named Olen, he said that Eileithyia was the mother of Eros, the god and personification of love.

Eileithyia was a popular pre-Hellenic goddess in Crete during the Minoan and Mycenaean periods where many of her shrines were found. Her cult existed as far back as the Middle Minoan period (2000-1700 BC). Her name is found in Bronze Age Linear B tablets where she was called Eleuthia (E-RE-U-TI-JA). On the mainland, she was particularly reverenced in Laconia.

After the Dorian Invasion she didn't play an important part in Greek mythology, and much of her role was taken over by Artemis.