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(Νέαιρα; Néaira). [German version] [1] Helios' mistress Helios' mistress, mother of the cowherds tending their father's herd on Thrinacie (Hom. Od. 12,133). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Strymon's mistress Strymon's mistress and mother of Euadne, who was spouse of Argos [I 1] (Apollod. 2,3). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [3] Daughter of Pereus Daughter of Pereus, spouse of Aleus [1], mother of Auge [2] (Apollod. 3,102). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [4] Spouse of Aetas Spouse of Aetas (alsoIdyia; schol. Apoll. Rhod. 3,240). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) …

[German version] (Οὐροβόρος; Ourobóros). Snake biting its own tail, frequently used as a symbol by ancient alchemists but also appearing frequently in Graeco-Egyptian magical papyri (PGM 7, col. 17; cf. PGM 1,145f.; 12,203f.; 12,274f.; 36,184). It represents the unity of all forces and processes in the cosmos. By investigating a single matter accurately one understands everything: the macrocosm is reflected in the microcosm. The formula that explains the symbol is evidently meant to express the pri…

[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-…

(Οἰνόη/ Oinóē). [German version] [1] Arcadian nymph, mother of Pan Arcadian nymph, mother of Pan (schol. Eur. Rhes. 36), nurse of Zeus (Paus. 8,47,3). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Wife of Nicodamas Wife of Nicodamas, mother of Mopsus, transformed into a crane as punishment for arrogance (Antoninus Liberalis 16, see also Gerana). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [3] Eponymous lady of the Attic deme of O. [5] Eponymous lady of the Attic deme of O. [5], sister of Epochus (Paus. 1,33,8). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [4] Attic paralia deme of the phyle of Hippothontis At…

(Μενέσθιος; Menésthios). [German version] [1] Boeotian at Troy Son of Areithous and Philomedusa, from Ame in Boeotia, killed in Paris in the Trojan War (Hom. Il. 7,9; Tzetz. ad Hom. Il. 132). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Myrmidonian, a general of Achilles Myrmidonian, one of Achilles's generals in the Trojan War, son of Polydora and the river god Spercheus or the giant Pelor (Hom. Il. 16,173; Str. 9,433; Apollod. 3,168 with various genealogical and matrimonial variations for Polydora). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

(Μακαρία; Makaría). [German version] [1] Daughter of Heracles and Deianira Daughter of Heracles and Deianira; sacrifices herself voluntarily in the war of the Athenians and the Heraclidae against Eurystheus to secure victory ( Human sacrifices): first referred to in this way in Eur. Heracl., but without mentioning her name; possibly already in Aeschylus or in Athenian local myth [1. XVI, XXXI-XXXIII, 111f.] Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) Bibliography 1 J. Wilkins (ed.), Euripides, Heraclidae, 1993 (introduction and commentary). [German version] [2] Spring in Tricorythus Spring in Tricor…

[German version] (Τύννιχος; Týnnichos) from Chalcis (Euboea). Choral lyricist of the 7th cent. BC (?), composer of a paean often sung in Delphi (Plat. Ion 534d), which, according to an anecdote, even Aeschylus placed above everything he could have written himself (Porph. De abstinentia animalium 2,18 p. 148 Nauck). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) Bibliography L. Käppel, Paian, 1992, 359  I. Rutherford, Pindar's Paeans, 2001, 28.

[German version] I. Term and genre In antiquity the folk-tale as a well-defined literary genre with unequivocally established terminology was not known. However, since oral narratives, partly put down in writing, that according to the modern meaning of the term can undoubtedly be designated as folk-tales, existed in all ages and all cultures, the issue of the folk-tale becomes a meaningful and inevitable subject also with regard to antiquity. The German word ‘Märchen’ is derived from OHG māri, MHG diu/daz maere = ‘report’, ‘message’, i.e. ‘narrative’, still entirely in the …

(Πολυξώ/ Polyxṓ). [German version] [1] One of the Hyades One of the Hyades. Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Mother of Antiope Wife of Nycteus, mother of Antiope [1]. …

(Περίλαος/ Perílaos, Περίλεως/ Períleōs). [German version] [1] Son of Icarius and Periboea Son of Icarius [2] and Periboea [1], brother of Penelope (Apollod. 3,126). According to Peloponnesian legend, P. appeared before the Areopagus as the prosecutor of Orestes [1], rather than Tyndareos, who was already dead (Paus. 8,34,2).…

[German version] (Νάννακος/ Nánnakos, according to Steph. Byz. Ἀννακός/ Annakós). Mythological king of Phrygia who supposedly lived to be over 300 years old. He predicted the flood of Deucalion and prayed with his people to be spared. Numerous proverbs relating to his great age and his tearful pleading are associated with him (Zenob. 6,10; Macarius Chrys…

(Φερεκύδης; Pherekýdēs). [German version] [1] P. of Syrus Mythographer and cosmologist, 6th cent. BC Greek mythographer and cosmologist, 6th cent. BC; according to an older tradition, he was a contemporary of Alyattes ( c. 605-560 BC; Pherecydes 7 A 2 DK; Acusilaus 9 A 1 DK), whilst according to another tradition, the acme of his career as a writer was in the 59th Olympiad (544-541 BC, so he would have been a contemporary of Cyrus [2]; Diog. Laert. 1,118 and 121; cf. Pherecydes 7 A 1 DK). According to Diog. Laert. 1,116, his book was still extant in the 3rd cent. AD; its title was probably Heptámych…

[German version] [1] Mythical seer (Μελάμπους/ Melámpous). Mythical seer. Son of Amythaon, brother of Bias [1], husband of Iphianassa [1], father of Mantius, grandfather of Amphiaraus, born in Pylus. As a child he received the gift of interpreting bird songs when snakes licked his ears. Apollo granted him other prophetic gifts. He was considered a seer, a miracle healer and an expiatory priest, and also the founder of the cult of Dionysus in Greece (Hdt. 2,48f.). When his brother Bias wooed Pero, M. and Bias accomplished the posed task of retrieving Pero's mother's stolen cattle by snatching them from Iphicles and curing the latter of his impotence. In addition he healed the daughter of Proetus ( Proetids), who had been sent mad for her obstinacy against the cult of Dionysus (as in Hes. fr. 131 M.-W.) or for her disdain of Hera's cult image (as in Acusilaus FGrH 2 F 28). As a prize he received a third of the kingdom of Argos. Bias received a further third. Since then the kingdom of Argus was divided into three (Hdt. 9,34; for the aetiology: schol. Pind. Nem. 9,13(30b)). The myths are alluded to in Hom. Od. 15,225ff.; 15,238ff.; 11,291, and related in detail in the Melampodia [1], summarised in Apollod. 1,96ff.; 2,25ff. (cf. schol. Apoll. Rhod. 1,118; Eust. on Hom. Od. 11,292 p. 1685; Plin. HN 10,137; for the Proetids esp. Diod. 4,68; Paus. 2,18,4; Pherecydes FGrH 3 F 114; Bacchyl. 11; Pind. Pae. 4,28-30 [2; 3]). M. may have been one of such historical ‘miracle men, expiatory priests and seers as there were in the…

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[German version] (Τροφώνιος/ Trophṓnios, or Τρεφώνιος/ Trephṓnios). Hero of the Boeotian Lebadia, stepson or brother of Agamedes (Paus. 9,37,5; schol. Aristoph. Nub. 508). The following are mentioned as parents: Apollo and Epicaste (Paus. loc. cit.; schol. Aristoph. loc .cit.), Zeus and Iocaste (schol. Aristoph. loc. cit.), Valens/Ischys and Coronis [1] (Cic. Nat. D. 3,56), Erigonus (Hom. h. 3,296 f.; Paus. 9,37,4 f., etc.). Children: Alcander [1] and Hercyra. In the myth, T. and Agamedes are the famous builders of Delphi's first temple of Apollo  (Hom. h. 3,2…

[German version] [1] Founder of Miletos (Νειλεύς/ Neileús; Νηλεύς/ Nēleús; Νείλεως/ Neíleōs). Mythical founder of the city of Miletus [2]; from Pylos; son of the Attic king Codrus, brother of Medon [5]; since he is second to his brother in the succession, he l…

(Νομία/ Nomía). [German version] [1] Nymph, with the same name as the Arcadian mountain range Nymph; eponym of the mountain range in Arcadia, N. [3] (Paus. 8,38,11). Depicted by Polygnotus in Delphi, together with Callisto and Pero (Paus. 10,31,10). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Sicilian nymph Sicilian nymph, who transforms Daphnis [1] into a stone, when he spurns her (Ov. Met. 4,277; Serv. Verg. Ecl. 8,68). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [3] Mo…

[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 whe…

[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…

Roman surname. [German version] [1] M., Q. Horse breeder Cited by Varro (Rust. 2,7,1) as a distinguished horse breeder. His (probably invented) cognomen Equicolus, which indicates this activity, may have been interpreted by Varro as Aequicolus, so that a later period reveals a Septimus M. as the first king of the Aequiculi (Lib. de praenominibus 1). Elvers, Karl-Ludwig (Bochum) [German version] [2] M. Fabidius Founder of the city of Cures Son of a virgin of the Aborigines who comes to dance in the sanctuary of Quirinus in the territory of Reate, but is then seized by divine inspiration, ruches into the sanctuary, is impregnated by the god and gives birth to M. Fabidius. He founds the city of Cures (so Dion. Hal. Ant. 2,48). The etymological derivation of the name M. from …