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[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.

(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…

(Ἀθηναῖος; Athēnaîos). [German version] [1] Lacedaemonian, contributed in 423 BC to the truce with Athens Lacedaemonian, son of Periclidas, contributed in 423 BC to the truce with Athens (Thuc. 4,119), which he officially announced to  Brasidas a little later together with the Athenian Aristonymus (Thuc. 4,122). Meier, Mischa (Bielefeld) [German version] [2] Son of Attalus I of Pergamum, member of the 'Royal Council' A. was, as the youngest son of Attalus I of Pergamum, a member of the ‘Royal Council’; he is also documented as an agonothete (Alt. Perg. 8,3,…

[German version] (Φρονίμη; Phronímē). Daughter of Etearchus, the mythical king of Oaxus in Crete, and his first wife; mother of Battus [1], the mythical founder of Cyrene. Hdt. 4,154f. tells her story evidently according to a Cyrenian source: on the basis of a slander by his second wife, Etearchus hands his daughter over to the merchant Themison to be drowned. He does throw her into water in accordance with his promise, but pulls her out again. In Thera Polymnestus takes her as a concubine and fathers Battus with her. Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) Bibliography W. Aly, Volksmärchen, Sage und Novel…

[German version] (Προῖτος/ Proîtos, Lat. Proetus). Mythical king of Argos (Hom. Il. 6,157; Pind. Nem. 10,77), or Tiryns (Apollod. 2,25; Schol. Eur. Or. 965), son of Tersander and father of Maera [1] (Pherecydes FGrH 3 F 170b), more commonly however son of Abas [1] and Aglaea (Schol. Eur. Or. 965; Paus. 2,16,2; Apollod. 2,24 f.). P.' conflict with his twin brother Acrisius originates as early as their time in the womb (Apollod. 2,24 f.) or after P. has seduced Acrisius' daughter Danae (Apollod. 2,34 f…

[German version] (Ποδαλείριος; Podaleírios). Son of Asclepius and Epione, brother of Machaon, and like him a heroic or divine physician (Hom. Il. 11,833; cf. ibid. 2,731). He is mentioned among the suitors of Helen [1]  (Apollod. 3,131). In the cyclic epics he heals Philoctetes (Apollod. epit. 4,8; cf. Soph. Phil. 1333), diagnoses the madness of Ajax [1] and is finally cast away in Caria, where he founds Syrnus (Apollod. epit. 6,2; 6,18; Paus. 3,26,10). Apart from that, like Asclepius's other child…

[German version] [1] Attic hero (Πάλλας/ Pállas). Attic hero, eponym of Pallene [3], son of Pandion [1], brother of Aegeus, Lycus [8] and Nisus [1]. After Pandion's death, the brothers divided up Attica, with Aegeus as its king. P. and his 50 sons wanted to usurp the rule but were killed by Aegeus' son Theseus (cf. Soph. TrGF 4 F 24; Philochorus FGrH 328 F 107; schol. Lys. 58; schol. Aristoph. Vesp. 1223; Apollod. Epit. 1,11; Apollod. 3,206; the battle and defeat of P. are described in Diod. Sic. 4,60; Apollod. Epit. 1,11; Paus. 1,22,2; 1,28,10; Hyg. Fab. 244; Plut. Theseus 13). Käppel, Lutz (Ki…

[German version] I. Christian Term used to delineate unwelcome religious teachings divergent from orthodoxy. In Pre-Christian and non-Christian contexts, the Greek term   haíresis (αἵρεσις, Latin haeresis [5]) was still entirely value-free: the basic meaning ‘to take’, ‘to choose’ evolves into ‘religious or philosophical school of thought’, ‘school perspective’, as well as ‘member of a school of thought’, ‘(fragmentation into) parties’, ‘sect’, cf. for example the titles in Lucian, Hermótimos ḕ perì hairéseōn; Antipater of Tarsus, Katà tôn hairéseōn; Varro, Perì hairéseōn (M…

(Φαίαξ; Phaíax). [German version] [1] Ancestor of the Phaeaces Mythical ancestor of the Phaeaces, father of Alcinous [1] and Locrus [3] (Diod. Sic. 4,72,2; differenly: Hom. Od. 7,54ff.; Nausithous [1]). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Mythical naval officer of Theseus Mythical naval officer of Theseus, together with Nausithous [3] (Plut. Theseus 17). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) Bibliography Deubner, 225. [German version] [3] Athenian politician, 5th cent. BC Athenian, son of Eresistratus, Acharnian (Aeschin. 3,138; ostraka [3. 78 no. 152]); from a prominent fa…

[German version] (Νυκτιμένη/ Nyktiménē). Daughter of Epopeus, the mythological king of Lesbos; after seducing her father (or being raped by her father) she is transformed into an owl by Athena (Ov. Met. 2,590ff.; Hyg. Fab. 204; 253). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

(Μενέστρατος; Menéstratos). [German version] [1] A son of Niobe One of the sons of Niobe (Hellanicus FGrH 4 F 21 with commentary by Jacoby). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Sacrifices himself for his lover Cleostratus M. of Thespiae, who sacrifices himself for his lover Cleostratus, by volunteering to take his place and be thrown to the dragon that on Zeus's instructions is fed a young man each year. Barbs on his armour kill the monster (Paus. 2,26,7f.) Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [3] Athenian, denounced in 415 BC Athenian, one of 18 denounced by Teucer in connexio…

[German version] (ᾨλεύς/ Ōileús). Mythological king of Locris [1], son of Hodoedocus and Agrianome or Laonome, the daughter of Perseon; also son of Apollo (Hyg. Fab. 161); son of Eriopis, father, by her, of 'Little' Ajax [2], also father of Medon (illegitimate, by Rhene). He was one of the Argonauts (Hom. Il. 2,726-728; 13,694-696, Apoll. Rhod. 1,74-76; Hes. Cat. 82). For the original form of the name (ιλεύς) and its meaning see [1]. Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) Bibliography 1 W.A. Oldfather, s.v. O., RE 17, 2175-2187.

[German version] (Φλεγύας; Phlegýas). Eponym of the Phlegyans, a mythical people in Thessalia (Hom. Il. 13,302), also localized in Boeotia, Phocis or Epidaurus (Erythraean Paean [1. 372-374]). Son of Ares and Dotis, father of Ixion (Eur. TrGF fr. 424) and Coronis [1], mother of Asclepius (H. Hom. 16; Pind. Pyth. 3,8-11; Isyllos IG IV2 1, 128,37-56 = Paean 40 E Käppel [1. 382]). The Phlegyans were a people of brigands (H. Hom. 3,278), and P. himself set fire to the temple of Apollo in Delphi, thus becoming one of the penitents in the Underworld (…

(αἱ τῶν μακάρων νῆσοι; hai tôn makárōn nêsoi, Lat. insulae fortunatae, ‘Islands of the blessed'). [German version] [1] Mythical country Since Hes. Op. 167-173, the mythical country to which heroes are transported - instead of to dark, mouldy Hades like ‘normal people’ - when their lives on earth are over. The concept of the makaron nesoi (MN) is closely linked with the idea of Elysium (Hom. Od. 4,561ff.) as the place were the blessed reside after death (cf. Pind. Ol. 2,68-80; Hdt. 3,26; Aristoph. Vesp. 640; Eur. Hel. 1677; Aristot. Protrepticus fr. …

[German version] (Ἴσυλλος; Ísyllos) from Epidaurus, son of Socrates. Around 300 BC, poet of a consecutive series of poems (in trochaic tetrametres, dactylic hexametres, ionics, elegiac distichs), extant as inscriptions, for the cult of  Asclepius of  Epidaurus (IG IV 12 128 = [1. 380-383]). In these, I. creates on the one hand a specific Epidaurian mythology of Asclepius, which relocates the roots of the god to the healing sanctuary that had been of increasing importance since the 5th cent. BC. The traditional myth, on the other hand…

[German version] (Μόλος/ Mólos). Mythical Cretan, son or brother of Deucalion, uncle or brother of Adomenes, father of Meriones (Hom. Il. 10,269; Apollod. 3,17; Diod. Sic. 5,79). There is a report about a Cretan festival in Plut. De def. or. 14, in which a headless doll called M. makes an appearance: this doll symbolises M.'s beheading as a punishment for ravishing a nymph. Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) Bibliography Nilsson, Feste, 440, 468f.

[German version] (Φόβος/ Phóbos, Latin Pavor ). Personification of terror, esp. terror in war (cf. Aesch. Sept. 45); therefore, along with his brother Deimos, son of Ares and Aphrodite (Hes. Sc. 195f., 463f.). The brothers are found in Homer in connection with their father's chariot (Hom. Il. 4,440f.; 13,299f.; 15,119f.); they appear on the shield of Agamemnon together with Gorgo [1] (Hom. Il. 11,36f.), P. alone appears on the aegis of Athena (Hom. Il. 5,739) and of Heracles [1] (He…

[German version] (Νασάμων; Nasámōn). Son of Amphithemis (Garamas according to Apoll. Rhod. 4,1492) and the nymph Tritonis, great-grandson of Minos. N. was the progenitor and eponym of the Nasamones in Libya (schol. Apoll. Rhod. 4,1322). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

(Τήλεφος /Tḗlephos). [German version] [1] Son of Heracles and Auge Son of Heracles [1] and Auge [2] (Hes. fr. 165,8-10 M./W.). There are two legendary versions of his youth. According to one version (probably in essence epic, but also assumed by Euripides [1] in his T.), Auge of Tegea, a priestess of Athena, was made pregnant by Heracles [1], gave birth to T. and hid him in the sanctuary. When, as a consequence of this, the goddess imposed a famine and the child was discovered, Auge's father Aleus [1] had the child exposed (Exposure, myths…

[German version] (Ὄχιμος/ Ochimos). Mythological king of Rhodes, the oldest of the Heliadae. His brother Cercaphus married Cydippe [3], the daughter of O., although she was betrothed to another man, and the couple had to flee; following their return Cercaphus became O.'s successor (Hellanicus FGrH 140 F 37; Diod. Sic. 5,56f.). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)