What is the greek/roman myth with woman proud of her three sons but they die

Question

I remember (and I may be mis-remembering some things) a myth where there was a mother and her three sons doted over her and ran for her every wish. The three sons carried her somewhere and got her there on time and she was so overcome with pride she said something along the lines of " I'm so proud of my sons I wish they could stay like this forever! " and the gods heard her and turned her sons into statues.

I cant remember the myth exactly and I looked through several myths that were similar to no avail. The moral of the story was something like 'careful what you wish for' but I remember it was more deep than that and that's why I wanted to read it again.

Answer 1

Probably Kleobis and Biton. When they could not find their oxen to pull the cart, they themselves drew the cart the six miles so their mother could attend a festival at the temple of Hera, and when she prayed that Hera reward them, they fell asleep in the temple and never woke again.

This was generally discussed in matters of what makes for happiness.

Answer 2

The myth you're referring to sounds like the Greek myth of Niobe, a tale from Greek mythology that serves as a cautionary tale about hubris and the consequences of excessive pride.

In the myth, Niobe was a queen of Thebes who had fourteen children, seven sons, and seven daughters. She boasted about her many children and compared herself favorably to the goddess Leto, who had only two children, Apollo and Artemis. Niobe's pride and arrogance led her to claim that she was superior to Leto.

Upon hearing Niobe's arrogant remarks, Apollo and Artemis, the twin children of Leto, were angered and sought revenge. They descended from Mount Olympus and killed all of Niobe's children, causing her immense grief. In her sorrow, Niobe was turned into a weeping stone statue by the gods.

The moral of the story is indeed a cautionary one, emphasizing the consequences of excessive pride and the importance of humility. It's a classic example of Greek mythology's exploration of human flaws and the role of the gods in human affairs.