Εἰλείθυια

Εἰλείθυια, ἡ, (ἐλυθ- A. she that comes in need, a participial form) Ilithyia, the goddess of child-birth, pl. in Hom., Il. 11.270, 19.119, sg. in Hes. Th. 922, etc. II. parturition, in pl., Opp. H. 1.477, al.; offspring, ib.4.505. 2. metaph., σταφυλὴ βότρυος εἰ. Nonn. D. 16.203. (There are numerous varieties of spelling, e.g. Ἐλείθυια Pi. P. 3.9, N. 7.1, SIG 602 (Delph.), IG 3.1320, etc.: Ἐλείθυα ib.12(3).192 (Astypalaea): Εἰλήθυια (q.v.) IG 12(5).197 (Paros, prob.), Call. Del. 132, AP 6.200 (Leon.), Paus. 2.5.4, etc.: Ἐλευθία, Ion. -ιη, GDI 4584 (Hippola), IG 12(5).187 (Paros): Lacon. Ἐλευσία ib.5(1).236: Cret. Ἐλεύθυια GDI 5149, al.: Boeot. Εἰλείθεια, Εἰλείθ-ια, IG 7.2228, 3410; cf. Εἰλιόνεια, Ἐλευθώ.)