(), or, as Ovid (Ov.
Met. 9.306) calls her, Galanthis, was a daughter of Proetus of Thebes and a friend of
Alcmene. When the latter was on the point of giving birth to Heracles, and the Moerae and
Eileithyia, at the request of Hera, were endeavouring to prevent or delay the birth,
Galinthias suddenly rushed in with the false report that Alcmene had given birth to a son. The
hostile goddesses were so surprised at this information that they dropped their arms. Thus the
charm was broken, and Alcmene was enabled to give birth to Heracles. The deluded goddesses
avenged the deception practised upon them by Galinthias by metamorphosing her into a weasel or
cat (γαλῆ), and dooming her to lead a joyless life in
obscure holes and corners. Hecate, however, took pity upon her, and made her her attendant,
and Heracles afterwards erected a sanctuary to her. At Thebes it was customary at the festival
of Heracles first to offer sacrifices to Galinthias. (Ov. l.c.; Ant. Lib. 29; Aelian, Ael. NA 12.5.)
Pausanias (9.11.2) relates a similar story of Historis.