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[German version] (Doric, later generally widespread Παιάν/ Paián; epic Παιήων/ Paiḗōn; Ionic-Attic Παιών/ Paiṓn; Aeolian Πάων/ Páōn; Lat. paean). Term for a Greek song genre as well as a god, later an epithet for various gods. The etymology of the word is obscure [1; 2; 3]. Modern treatises on the song genre paean usually make the identity of the name for the song and the god the starting-point of their considerations. Either the god was a personification of the call [4; 5] drawn from the impersonal cry ἰὴ παιάν ( iḕ paián) or there was originally a god Paean to whom the cry ἰὴ Παιάν ( iḕ Paián) was …

(Πολυδέκτης/ Polydéktēs). [German version] [1] Mythical colonist and king of Seriphus Son of Magnes [2], mythical colonist and king of Seriphus, brother of Dictys [1]. He wanted to force Danae, who had been stranded in a box with her son Perseus, into marriage, but Perseus turned him to stone with the head of Medusa (Gorgo [1]), which he had brought from the Hyperborei, and made Dictys king (Pind. P. 12; Apollod. 2,24-46). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Epithet of Hades Poetic epithet of the god of the underworld (the 'receiver of many', the 'hospitable'; Hades, Pl…

(Μούλιος; Moúlios). [German version] [1] Son-in-law of Augeias of Elis, son-in-law of Augeias, to whose daughter Agamede he is married; he is killed by Nestor (Hom. Il. 11,738ff.). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Herald of Penelope's suitor Amphinomus Herald of Penelope's suitor Amphinomus of Dulichium; he serves the suitors in the house of Odysseus (Hom. Od. 18,423). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

[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] (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.

[German version] (Μενοίτης; Menoítēs). The mythical herdsman of Hades, who watches his herds on the island Erythea near the entrance of the Underworld. He reports Hercules's theft of one of his cattle to the neighbouring herdsman Geryoneus, but is killed by Hercules in a wrestling match (Apollod. 2,108; 125). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

[German version] (Οὐρανός, Lat. Uranus). Divine personification of the sky, treated by Hesiodus (Theog. 126-128) as a mythical figure. U. is born of Gaia, the earth, without the contribution of a father, 'so that he may wrap her up and the gods have a permanent seat in him' (ibid.). After that, U. begets the Uraniones with Gaia (ibid. 424; 486), namely the Titans, including Kronos, Zeus' father. As a result, U. is the progenitor of the gods (ibid. 44 f.; 105 f.). The Cyclopes and the Hekatoncheires …

(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] (Τυφωεύς/ Typhōeús, Τυφῶν/ Typhôn; also Τυφάων/ Typháōn, Τυφώς/ Typhṓs). Gigantic mythical monster, according to Hesiod the offspring of Tartaros and Gaia, with a hundred dragons' heads (spitting fire) and serpents' feet (for pictorial representations, see [1]), set up by Gaia as a rival ruler to Zeus after the fall of the Titans but defeated by him and cast into the underworld. From then on, he causes storms and volcanic eruptions (Hes. Theog. 820-880). His union with Echidna produces more monster progeny: Orthus, Cerberus, Hydra [1], Chimaera and others ( ibid. 306-…

(Πολύφημος/ Polýphēmos, Latin Polyphemus). [German version] [1] Lapith, Argonaut who fought agains the centaurs A Lapith (Lapithae) from Larisa in Thessaly, son of Elatus [2] and Hippea (the daughter of Anthippus), brother of Caeneus. P. fought against the centaurs (Hom. Il. 1,264) and was one of the Argonauts (Apoll. Rhod. 1,40-44). Having stayed behind in Mysia with Heracles [1] in search of Hylas, he founded Cius und fell in battle against the Chalybes (Apoll. Rhod. l.c. und 1,1240 ff.; Apollod. 1,113 und 117). In Euphorion he is the son of Poseidon and lover of Hyl…

[German version] (Μῆτις/ mêtis, literally ‘cleverness’, ‘clever advice’). M. first appears as an attribute of Zeus ( Mētíeta‘ gifted with wisdom’, e.g. Hom. Il. 1,175 etc.) and is personified as a goddess for the first time in Hes. Theog. 358 as one of the daughters of Oceanus. She becomes the first wife of Zeus (ibid. 886ff.). But Gaia and Uranus warn Zeus that M. will bear dangerously clever children and advise him to swallow her. By doing this he prevents the birth of a son, but not the birth of Athena, who u…

[German version] (Νικοδάμας/ Nikodámas). A pygmy, husband of Oenoe [1] who refused to worship Artemis and Hera and as a punishment was turned into a crane (Antoninus Liberalis 16). She was also called Gerana (Ath. 9,393e). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

[German version] Roman goddess. Her name is derived from orbus ('childless') and explained as an evil power that robs parents of their children. To appease her, a sanctuary was dedicated to her near the temple of the Lares (Cic. Nat. D. 3,63; Plin. HN 2,16; Tert. Ad nat. 2,15,2). According to Arnob. 4,7, she was the goddess of parents who have lost their children. Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) Bibliography Latte, 53  Radke, 240f.

[German version] (Πειθώ; Peithṓ). Greek personification of 'persuasion', especially of erotic persuasion, hence a frequent epithet of Aphrodite. Daughter of Oceanus, spouse of Phoroneus or of Argus [I 1] (Hes. Theog. 349; schol. Eur. Phoen. 1116; schol. Eur. Or. 1239). Although unknown in Homer's work, P. appears in Hesiod's writings (Hes. Erg. 73; Hes. Theog. 573) during the making of Pandora together with the Charites. Sappho fr. 200 V. makes her one of the Charites, Aeschylus makes her daughter …

[English version] (Ὠγυγία, episch -η). Myth. Insel, auf der die Göttin Kalypso wohnt (Hom. Od. 1,49ff.; 5,13ff.) und auf der Odysseus fast zehn Jahre verweilt. In der ‘Odyssee liegt O. im Westen (vgl. Hom. Od. 5,271ff.), und zwar als omphalós thalássēs (“Nabel des Meeres”, vgl. dazu [1. 2070ff.]). Seit der Ant. hat man über die geogr. Position gestritten: (1) bei Kreta (Antimachos fr. 142 Wyss); (2) in oder bei Italien: (a) Gozo (Kall. fr. 470), (b) Lacinium (Skylax 13 GGM), (c) Nymphaia (Apoll. Rhod. 4,574), (d) bei Puteoli (Cass. Di…

[English version] Röm. Göttin, von orbus (“kinderlos”) abgeleitet und als böse Macht erklärt, die Eltern die Kinder raube. Zu ihrer Besänftigung war ihr ein Heiligtum nahe beim Tempel der Laren geweiht (Cic. nat. deor. 3,63; Plin. nat. 2,16; Tert. nat. 2,15,2). Laut Arnob. 4,7 die Göttin der Eltern, die ihre Kinder verloren haben. Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) Bibliography Latte, 53  Radke, 240f.

[English version] (Πειρίθοος, -θους; Περίθοος, -θους; lat. Pirithous, Perithous etc.). Thessalischer, später auch attischer Heros, König der Lapithai, Sohn des Zeus (Hom. Il. 2,741; 14,317f.; vgl. Hom. Od. 11,631; Hellanikos FGrH 4 F 134; Plat. rep. 391c-d) oder des Ixion (Ephoros FGrH 70 F 23; Diod. 4,63,1; 4,69,3; Ov. met. 8,403f., 567, 613; 12,210, 338; Apollod. 1,68) und der Dia [3], Bruder der Klymene [6], Gatte der Hippodameia [2], Vater des Polypoites [1] (Hom. Il. 2,740-742; 12,129, 182; Diod. 4…

[English version] (auch Atius Navius). Legendärer röm. Augur ( augures ) der Königszeit (Cic. Att. 10,8,6), zur Zeit des Tarquinius Priscus (Dion. Hal. ant. 30,70,1), widersetzt sich einer Änderung der Centurienverfassung (Cic. rep. 2,36). Tarquinius soll N.A., um ihn zu diskreditieren, aufgetragen haben, aus dem Vogelflug zu weissagen, ob seine Absicht durchführbar sei. Als er dies bejaht, befiehlt er ihm, mit einem Messer einen Stein durchzuschneiden, was ihm auch gelingt (Liv. 1,36,4; Dion. Hal. ant. 3,71,2ff.; vgl. auch Cic. div. 1,32). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) Bibliography A. Ba…

[English version] (νύμφαι, lat. nymphae). Weibliche Naturdämonen in Menschengestalt. Νύμφη ( nýmphē) bedeutet “junge Frau” oder “Braut” (vgl. lat. nubere: “heiraten”), also “junge Frau im heiratsfähigen Alter”. Bei Homer wird das Wort häufig für menschliche Frauen gebraucht (Hom. Il. 3,130; 9,536; Hom. Od. 5 passim), doch daneben gibt es bereits die Vorstellung von den N. als Naturgottheiten (Hom. Il. 6,420; 20,8; 24,616 etc.). Überall, wo Leben in der Natur ist, wirken N. Sie sind trotz ihrer Göttlichkeit nicht unsterblich. In der Regel erscheinen sie als …

(Πεισιδίκη). [English version] [1] Name verschiedener myth. Gestalten Name verschiedener myth. Gestalten: Tochter des Aiolos [1], Gattin des Myrmidon (Apollod. 1,51f.), Tochter des Nestor [1] (ebd. 1,94), Tochter des Pelias (ebd. 1,95; Hyg. fab. 24). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [English version] [2] Tochter des Königs Lepethymnos aus Methymna Tochter des Königs Lepethymnos aus Methymna; verrät aus Liebe ihre Vaterstadt an den sie belagernden Achilleus [1], wird aber auf dessen Befehl dafür gesteinigt (Parthenios 21). Dieselbe Gesch. gibt es auch von…