The myth of ithomi dates back to long before the time of the Internet. Back, in fact, to the birth of Zeus, the ruler of the Greek gods. His father, the Titan Chronos, was none too keen on his progeny. An oracle had once told him that one of them would overthrow him. Chronos' remedy was as original as it was effective: he simply devoured each child his wife Rhea bore.

After seeing five precious children disappearing in this way, Rhea had simply had enough. She managed to outwit Chronos with a trick. She gave birth to little Zeus out of the conjugal abode and entrusted him to the tender care of two loyal nymphs for his upbringing: Neda and, you've guessed it, Ithomi.

The rest of the story is known: Zeus grew up to be a strapping lad, usurped his father's throne and released his sisters Hestia, Demeter and Hera and his brothers Hades and Poseidon from his father's belly. A simple game of dice was all it took for Zeus to be
crowned undisputed ruler of the gods of Olympos.

And Ithomi? Her name became for ever associated with the mountain in Messinia where Zeus was actually born. The claim that Zeus was born in Crete – on Mount Ida or Mount Dicte – should be assigned to the realm of fiction, as far as we're concerned.