Trito
or TRITOGENEIA (
Τριτώ or
Τριτογένεια and
Τριτογενής), a surname of Athena (
Hom. Il. 4.515,
Od. 3.378; Hes.
Theoy. 924), which is explained in different ways. Some derive it from lake Tritonis in Libya, near which she is said to have been born (Eurip.
Ion. 872 ; Apollod. 1.3.6; comp.
Hdt. 4.150,
179); others from the stream Triton near Alalcomenae in Boeotia, where she was worshipped, and where according to some statements she was also born (
Paus. 9.33.4; comp. Horn.
Il. 4.8); the grammarians, lastly, derive the name from
τριτώ which, in the dialect of the Athamanians, is said to signify " head," so that it would be the goddess born out of the head of her father. (Schol.
ad Apollon. Rhod. 4.1310; comp. Horn.
Hymn. 28. 4 ; Hes. Th. 924.)
[
L.S]