Origin of the word Cicada

The story of Eos and Tithonus is a tragic love tale from Greek mythology about the goddess of dawn, Eos, and her mortal lover, Tithonus.

Eos was the goddess of dawn. Every morning, she would rise from the edge of the world and bring light to the sky before the sun appeared. She was beautiful and known for her love affairs with mortal men.

Tithonus was a handsome young prince of Troy, known for his beauty. Eos fell deeply in love with him and decided she wanted to keep him forever.

Because Tithonus was a mortal, Eos feared he would grow old and die. To prevent this, she asked Zeus, the king of the gods, to grant Tithonus immortality. Zeus agreed and made Tithonus live forever.

But Eos forgot to ask for eternal youth. This meant that while Tithonus could not die, he still aged like a normal human.

As the years passed, Tithonus grew older and weaker. His body shriveled, his strength faded, and he became so fragile that he could barely move. He could never die, but he also could never be young again.

Eos loved him but could do nothing to stop his suffering. She eventually turned him into a first cicada ,an insect(periodical cicadas)known for its long lifespan (13-17 years nymph stage) and for making noise during early hours of dawn when Eos carried out her duties in the sky above .

The story of Eos and Tithonus teaches an important lesson that immortality without eternal youth can be a curse rather than a blessing. It also shows the power of fate in Greek mythology—no one, not even gods, could escape the consequences of their choice.