Women, Weird and Wonderful: Kainis-Caenis, just as strong as a man as as a woman

Kainis was one of the pearls of the Thessalian aristocracy, as pretty as she was smart. Which didn’t go unnoticed by the ocean god Poseidon, who overpowered her and had his way with her. Afterwards, a little remorseful, he granted her a wish. She had a unique request: to become a man. A strong one. Never again did she want to endure enforced advances, and even less did she want to carry Poseidons child.  As Kaineus, he became a fierce warrior and gained quite a reputation. Being a war hero, he was invited to the society wedding of Pirithoös and Hippodamia. Unfortunately, a bunch of drunken centaurs crashed the party and assaulted the women. A huge fight broke out, known as the “centauromachy”, the battle of the centaurs. Kaineus held off many of them, but eventually, was literally beaten into the ground with tree trunks. He sunk right into the underworld, where she regained her female form. Her story is remembered in the name for a rare disorder: “kainotophobia”, meaning the fear of newness or change.

Kaineus fighting a centaur, lekythos, Musée du Louvre, Paris, France

Centaur and Lapith, neck-amphora, British Museum, London, UK