, 1734,
Bode Museum Ovid The most elaborate interpretation of her story is that of
Ovid, and runs as follows. Byblis acknowledged her love for Caunus, and despite her initial efforts to convince herself that her feelings were natural, she realized the inappropriateness of them. Unable to keep her love for Caunus a secret from him any longer, she sent him a long love letter through a servant giving examples of other incestuous relationships between the gods. Disgusted, he ran away. Believing that she could yet make him love her, she was determined to try to woo him once more. When she found out that he had fled, she tore her clothes and stripped naked in sorrow and was driven into madness. She followed him through much of Greece and
Asia Minor until she finally died, worn out by her grief and the long journey. As she had been constantly crying, she was changed into a spring.
Parthenius Parthenius of Nicaea Antoninus Antoninus Liberalis again portrays Byblis as overcome with unanswered love for her brother; after Caunus leaves, she rejects the proposals of numerous suitors and attempts to commit suicide by jumping off a cliff, but is saved by
hamadryads, who cause her to fall asleep and transform her into a fellow nymph.
Nonnus Nonnus depicts Byblis, Caunos and Miletus as the children of
Asterius, son of
Minos and Androgeneia. In this account, Caunus romantically pursues Byblis with a love song referencing the incestuous relationships between the gods. All the authors make mention of a spring which was believed to have appeared from Byblis' incessant tears. The city
Byblos in
Phoenicia was believed to have taken its name from Byblis. ==
Caunus and Byblis in art==