Ceyx is a king who hosts Peleus when Peleus flees Troy. Ceyx witnesses his brother Daedalion be transformed into a bird and a wolf transformed into marble. Disturbed by these occurrences, Ceyx travels to Apollo’s temple, leaving his devoted wife Alcyone behind. He promises Alcyone that he will return shortly, but a horrible storm shipwrecks him and he drowns. When his body floats back to his homeland’s shore and Alcyone finds it, the couple are transformed into birds that always fly together.
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Ceyx Character Timeline in Metamorphoses
The timeline below shows where the character Ceyx appears in Metamorphoses. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Book 11: Peleus at the Court of Ceyx (1)
...kills his half-brother. He goes to Trachis, a peaceful city ruled by a king named Ceyx. Peleus enters Ceyx’s palace with his few companions and asks Ceyx for a home in...
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Book 11: Ceyx’s Story: Daedalion
Peleus asks Ceyx why he is weeping. Ceyx draws Peleus’s attention to a bird of prey disturbing the...
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...the goddess Diana. Furious, Diana pierces Chione’s tongue with an arrow. Then Chione dies in Ceyx’s arms. When Ceyx tells Daedalion the news, Daedalion is overcome with grief. He tries to...
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Book 11: Peleus at the Court of Ceyx (2)
As Ceyx is telling his story, Peleus’s herdsman runs into the palace. The herdsman explains that he...
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Peleus and Ceyx grab their spears and order their men to put on their armor. As they are...
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Book 11: Ceyx and Alcyone
Back in Trachis, Ceyx is still disturbed by his brother Daedalion’s transformation and by the transformation of the wolf...
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Ceyx is moved by Alcyone’s concern, but he is set on his journey. He tells Alcyone...
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When night is falling, the wind picks up and the sea gets choppy. Ceyx commands his crew to secure the ship against the storm, but the storm increases in...
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...morale. They cry, pray to the heavens, and call out the names of their families. Ceyx thinks of Alcyone and wishes he’d never left her.
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...the ocean. Many of the sailors drown, while some manage to swim to the surface. Ceyx clings to a floating plank and prays to the gods to no avail. He then...
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Back in Trachis, Alcyone has no idea that Ceyx has died. She counts the nights until her husband’s return, sewing new clothes for him....
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...eyes. Iris gives Sleep Juno’s message, asking him to appear in Alcyone’s dream disguised as Ceyx’s ghost. Sleep looks around at the various dream gods and chooses Morpheus—the one who can...
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...night, Morpheus floats to Trachis and stands at the foot of Alcyone’s bed, disguised as Ceyx’s ghost. He whispers into Alcyone’s ear, crying and telling her of his death. He tells...
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Alcyone wakes up and runs into the next room to look for Ceyx. When she doesn’t find him, she sobs and tears at her hair. She believes the...
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...next morning, Alcyone goes to the seashore. She reminisces about the last time she saw Ceyx when he sailed away. As she gazes out to sea, she notices an object bobbing...
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Book 11: Aesacus
An old man watches two birds—formerly Alcyone and Ceyx—circle over the sea. Another man draws his attention to a bird skimming the sea with...
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