Galilaea
At the birth of Christ this was the northmost of the three divisions of Palestine west of the Jordan. Its inhabitants were a mixed race of Jews, Syrians, Phoenicians, Greeks, and others, and were therefore despised by the Jews of Judaea. Galinthias or Galanthis. Daughter of Proetus of Thebes, and a friend of Alcmena. When Alcmena was on the point of giving birth to Hercules, and the Moerae and Ilithyiae, at the request of Hera (Juno), were endeavoring to delay the birth, Galinthias suddenly rushed in with the false report that Alcmena 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 Alcmena was enabled to give birth to Hercules. The deluded goddesses avenged the deception practiced upon them by metamorphosing Galinthias into a weasel. Hecate, however, took pity upon her, and made her her attendant, and Hercules afterwards erected a sanctuary to her.