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(Πλεισθένης; Pleisthénēs). [German version] [1] Son of Pelops or Atreus, father of Agamemnon and Menelaus Mythical figure from the family of Pelops, often also named as the family's eponym (Aesch. Ag. 1569 etc.): either the son of Pelops and Hippodameia [1] (with Atreus, Thyestes and Pittheus as brothers; schol. Pind. O. 1,144), or the son of Atreus and Cleola born in exile in Macestus (Triphylia), father of Agamemnon and Menelaus [1] (schol. Eur. Or. 4), or husband of Aërope and father by her of Agamemnon and…

[German version] (Μάκρις; Mákris). Daughter of Aristaeus [1], wet-nurse of Dionysus on Euboea. After she was banished by Hera she lived on Corcyra, which was named M. after her, in a grotto which was later the place where Iason and Medea got married (Apoll. Rhod. 4,540; 990; 1130ff.). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

[German version] (Θαλήτας/ Thalḗtas; in some authors wrongly Thales, e.g. Paus. 1,14,4; Plut. Lycurgus 4), choral lyricist of the 7th cent. BC, from Gortyn (in Crete). Besides Xenodamus of Cythera, Xenocritus [1] of Locri and others, he was involved in various musical innovations in Sparta in the generation after Terpander (Plut. De musica 9,1134b-c). Like these, he composed paeans (Plut. loc.cit.) and hyporchḗmata (Schol. Pind. Pyth. 2,127). According to later authors of musical theory, he introduced paeonic and cretic rhythms to Sparta…

[German version] (Μύσκελ[λ]ος/ Mýskel(l)os). Mythical founder of Croton. Son of Alemon of Rhypes in Achaea. According to Ov. Met. 15, 12-59, his foundation of Croton was connected with Heracles [1] (according to others, with the Delphic Apollo): after his home town indicted Myscelus because of his illegal plan to found a city, Heracles turned the black voting stones white at the ballot, thus enabling the foundation (variants in [1. 254f.]). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) Bibliography 1 F. Bömer, P. Ovidius Naso, Metamorphosen, vols. 14-15, 1986.

(Φῶκος; Phôkos). [German version] [1] Mythical hero of Aegina Mythical hero of Aegina, son of Aeacus and the Nereid Psamathe; the latter had attempted in vain to stop Aeacus from raping her by turning herself into a seal ( phṓkē): hence the name P. for the child of this union (Hes. Theog. 1004f., Apollod. 3,158 and 160; Pind. Nem. 5,12). In Phocis P. marries the princess Asterodia and gives his name to this region (Apollod. 1,86). P. is ultimately killed by his step-brothers Peleus and Telamon, and he is buried in Aegina (Paus. 2,29,…

[German version] (Φαίακες/ Phaíakes, Latin Phaeaces, the Phaeacians). Mythical seafaring people, ruled by King Alcinous [1] (together with 12 other 'kings') and his wife Arete [1]. The P. live on the island of Scheria, to which they were led by Nausithous [1] from Hyperea (Hom. Od. 6,5; 7,58). There are comprehensive accounts of the P. in Hom. Od. books 6-8 and 13. The P. receive Odysseus as their guest after the king's daughter Nausicaa discovers him shipwrecked on the beach. They entertain him lavi…

[German version] (Νύσος/ Nýsos). Male counterpart of Nysa [1]. He is the tutor of Dionysus. He exercises power in Thebes during the latter's campaign to India, but it is seized back again on his return (Hyg. Fab. 131, 167, 179). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

[German version] (Ὠγυγία/ Ōgygía, epic -η/ ē). Mythical island on which the goddess Calypso lives (Hom. Od. 1,49ff.; 5,13ff.) and on which Odysseus stayed for almost ten years. In the 'Odyssey', O. is situated in the west (cf. Hom. Od. 5,271ff.) - as omphalòs thalássēs ('navel of the sea', cf. on this aspect [1. 2070ff.]). Since antiquity the geographical position has been a contentious issue: (1) near Crete (Antimachus fr. 142 Wyss); (2) in or near Italy: (a) Gozo (Callim. fr. 470), (b) Lacinium (Scylax 13 GGM), (c) Nymphaea (Apoll. Rhod…

[German version] (Ῥέα/ Rhéa, Ῥέη/ Rhéē, Ῥεία/ Rheía, Ῥείη/ Rheíē). Greek goddess; daughter of Uranus and Gaia, sister and consort of her brother Kronos, and by him the mother of Zeus, Hera, Demeter, Hades, Poseidon and Hestia (Hes. Theog. 453-463). Kronos devours the children in order to avoid the danger of being deprived of his power by one of them. However R. hides Zeus in Crete and instead gives Kronos a stone wrapped in swaddling bands. When Zeus is grown up he frees his brothers and sisters and with…

[German version] (Πειρίθοος, -θους/ Peiríthoos, - thous; Περίθοος, -θους/ Períthoos, - thous; Latin Pirithous, Perithous etc.). Thessalian, later also Attic hero, king of the Lapithae, son of Zeus (Hom. Il. 2,741; 14,317f.; cf. Hom. Od. 11,631; Hellanicus FGrH 4 F 134; Pl. Resp. 391c-d) or Ixion (Ephorus FGrH 70 F 23; Diod. Sic. 4,63,1; 4,69,3; Ov. Met. 8,403f., 567, 613; 12,210, 338; Apollod. 1,68) and Dia [3], brother of Clymene [6], husband of Hippodamia [2], father of Polypoetes [1] (Hom. Il. 2,740-742; 1…

[German version] (Μιλύη; Milýē). Daughter of Zeus, sister and wife of Solymus, eponym of the Lycian people of the Solymi, who were called Milyae after M. (Hdt. 1,173; 3,90; 7,77); later wife of Cragus, after whom Mount Cragus was named. Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

[German version] (Οἰνοπίων; Oinopíōn). Son of Dionysus and Ariadne (also son of Rhadamanthys: Diod. Sic. 5,79; Paus. 7,4,8f.), husband of the nymph Helice, and with her the father of Merope [2] (also husband of Merope: Pind. fr. 72 M.). When  Orion [1] rapes O.'s daughter Merope, O. blinds him; when Orion is healed and returns for revenge, he cannot find O., who is hiding underground (Eratosth. Katasterismoi 32; Hyg. Poet. Astr. 2,34; Hes. fr. 148a M.-W.). For other variants cf. Apollod. 1,25f.; Parthenius 20; Serv. Aen. 1,535; 10,763. Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

[German version] (Μαντώ; Mantṓ). Daughter of Teiresias, from Thebes, like her father gifted as a seer, priestess of Apollo Ismenios (Eur. Phoen. 834ff.). When the Epigoni [2] conquer Thebes, M. is consecrated to Apollo at Delphi (Apollod. 3,85; Paus. 9,33,2; schol. Apoll. Rhod. 1,308). Diod. Sic. 4,66,5f. calls her Daphne [2], and describes her as an excellent poet, from whom even Homer took some verses. Later, M. participates in the founding of the colony of Colophon [1] in Asia Minor (with the or…

(Μέντης; Méntēs). [German version] [1] Ciconian leader in the Trojan War Mythical commander of the Cicones in the Trojan War. Apollo assumes his guise to spur Hector on to battle (Hom. Il. 17,13). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Prince of the Taphians in the Trojan War Mythical Prince of the Taphiae. Athena assumes his guise to appear to Telemachus (Hom. Od. 1,105; 1,180; Mentor [2]). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

(Πεισιδίκη; Peisidíkē). [German version] [1] Name of various mythical figures Name of various mythical figures: daughter of Aeolus [1], wife of Myrmidon (Apollod. 1,51f.), daughter of Nestor [1] ( ibid. 1,94), daughter of Pelias ( ibid. 1,95; Hyg. Fab. 24). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Daughter of King Lepethymnus of Methymna Daughter of King Lepethymnus of Methymna; love prompted her to betray her home city to its besieger, Achilles [1], but she was stoned to death for this on his orders (Parthenius 21). The same story is also told o…

[German version] (Οἰωνός; Oiōnós). Son of Licymnius [1], from Midea in the Argolid, companion of Heracles [1], first winner of a race in the Olympic games (Pind. Ol. 10,64ff. with schol.); he was slain in Sparta by the sons of Hippocoon because he had killed their dog; a grave of O. was shown there (Apollod. 2,143f.; Paus. 3,15,3ff.). O.' death is considered the reason for Heracles' fight against the Hippocoontids. Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

[German version] (Σαλμωνεύς/ Salmōneús). Son of Aeolus [1], brother of Athamas, Sisyphus and Cretheus. S. had delusions of grandeur and endeavoured to have himself worshipped as Zeus, driving around on a chariot drawn by horses, producing artificial lightning flashes and making bronzen cauldrons resound to give the impression of thunder. Zeus flung him into Tartarus. S.' daughter Tyro distanced herself from her father, was spared and married Cretheus (Hes. fr. 10a, 25-27 M.-W.; fr. 30,1-30 M.-W.; A…

[German version] (Φορωνεύς; Phorōneús). Son of Alpheius [2], ancestor of the Pelasgian race (in contrast to the more recent Hellenic race, whose ancestor is Deucalion) and hence the 'first man' (Akusilaos FGrH 2 F 23a; Hes. fr. 122 M.-W.; Hellanikos FGrH 4 F 1; Hyg. Fab. 143 and 274) [1. 84]. Like Prometheus he was the inventor of fire (Paus. 2,19,5), bringer of culture, and judge in the dispute over Argos between Poseidon and Athena (Paus. 2,15,5). He is the subject of the epic Phorōnís ( c. 600 BC) [2; 3; 4]. Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) Bibliography 1 Preller/Robert 2 PEG I, 118-121 3 EpGF, 153-155 4…

[German version] (Φάλανθος/ Phálanthos; Lat. Phalant[h]us). Mythological founder of Taranto (Taras; Antiochus of Syracuse FGrH 555 F 13; Ephorus FGrH 70 F 216; Paus. 10,10,6-8 and elsewhere). According to Antiochus l.c., P. founded Taranto as a result of the instruction by the oracle of Delphi after an uprising by the Parthenians, led by him, against Sparta during the first Messenian War had failed; according to Ephorus l.c., the Spartans persuaded the Parthenians to emigrate. However, according to Paus. l.c., Taranto already existed. Apart from that, Paus. 10,13,3 report…

(Οἴβαλος/ Oíbalos, Latin Oebalus). [German version] [1] Spartan king Mythical king of Sparta, son of Cynortas or his son Perieres, husband of Perseus's daughter Gorgophone; she, or the Naiad Batea, is the mother of their children Tyndareos,  Hippocoon and Icarius [1] (various versions in Apollod. 3,116f.; Paus. 3,1,3ff.; schol. Eur. Or. 457 et al.) [1]. Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Italic hero Italic hero, son of king Telon of the Teleboae and the nymph Sebethis; mythical ruler of Capreae; ally of Turnus against Aeneas [1] (Verg. Aen. 7,733ff. w…