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[German version] (Διοτίμα; Diotíma). In the introduction of his discourse on Eros in Plato's Symposium (201d), Socrates claims that he would only pass on what he had learned from D., a wise priestess from Mantinea, who allegedly obtained for Athens a ten-year moratorium of the plague from the gods. The dialogue of the Symposium is thus interrupted. The D.-interlude consists of two parts: the first explains the nature of Eros, the second his power. In his epilogue, Socrates indicates his conviction that these teachings are correct. It is impossible…

(Ἠλεκτρυώνη; Ēlektryṓnē). [German version] [1] Patronymic of Alcmene Patronymic of Alcmene, the daughter of  Electryon (Hes. Sc. 16; 35; 86). Bloch, René (Berne) [German version] [2] Heroine on Rhodes (also Ἀλεκτρώνα; Alektrṓna). Heroine on Rhodes, daughter of Helios and Rhodus (Diod. Sic. 5,56; Schol. Pind. Ol. 7,24; Syll.3 338-340). She is depicted on coins from Rhodes. Bloch, René (Berne) [German version] [3] see Electra [3]  Electra [3] Bloch, René (Berne) Bibliography S. Grunauer-Von Hoerschelmann, s.v. E., LIMC 3.1, 719f.

(Ἔλατος; Élatos, ‘spruce man’). Name of several mythical figures. [German version] [1] Centaur Centaur, pierced by Hercules' poisoned arrow, which simultaneously wounded  Chiron (Apollod. 2,85). Bloch, René (Berne) [German version] [2] Prince of the Lapiths in Larisa Prince of the Lapiths in Larisa. He was the father of the Argonaut Polyphemus (Schol. Apoll. Rhod. 1,40-41; Apollod. 1,113) and of  Caeneus/Caenis (Hyg. Fab. 14,2.4; 173,3; 242,3; Ov. Met. 12,189; 497). Bloch, René (Berne) Bibliography F. Bömer, P. Ovidius Naso, Met. B. 12-13, 1982, 63. [German version] [3] Eponymu…

[German version] Personification of clemency (ThlL, Onom. II, 487). Pliny (HN 2,14) names C. in a series of deified abstractions. The C. of Caesar [1; 2] was famous: the senate had a joint temple built for the Divus Iulius and the deified C. in which Caesar and the goddess were depicted extending their hands to each other (Plut. Caes. 57,4; App. B Civ. 2,106; Cass. Dio 44,6,4). On the golden shield of Augustus C. is one of the four virtues attributed to him (R. Gest. div. Aug. 34). C. is the central theme in Seneca's speculum regum ( De clementia). Bloch, René (Berne) Bibliography 1 M. Treu, Zur C…

[German version] (Βουζύγαι; Bouzýgai). One of the most distinguished Athenian dynasties of priests, that traced its origins back to  Buzyges. Amongst others, Xanthippus, the victor of Mycale, also belonged to this family as well as his son Pericles (schol. Aristid. 473). The B. carried out the sacred ploughing below the Acropolis (Plut. praecepta coniugalia 42 p. 144). Furthermore, they were the hereditary priests for Zeus Teleios (CIA 294) and for Zeus on the Palladium (CIA 71; 273). Bloch, René (Berne) Bibliography Burkert, 159 Nilsson GGR, 1,709.

(Διομήδη; Diomḗdē). [German version] [1]  Deïon  Deïon. Bloch, René (Berne) [German version] [2] Mistress of Achilles Mistress of Achilles, daughter of Phorbas, one of the seven women of Lesbos whom Achilles took prisoner (Hom. Il. 9,128f.; 664f.). In the Iliad, she plays a secondary role to  Briseis and is rarely represented [1]. Together with Briseis and Iphis, she was depicted on a painting by Polygnotus in Delphi (Paus. 10,25,4). According to Zenod. in schol. Il 9,664a, D. was from Caria. Anth. Pal. 14,18 and 16,29 play with the double meaning of Διομήδης ἀνήρ; Diomḗdēs anḗr (‘Diomed…

(Ἐπικάστη; Epikástē). [German version] [1] Daughter of Augeias Daughter of  Augeias; mother of Thestalos (Thessalus) by Hercules (Apollod. 2,166). Bloch, René (Berne) [German version] [2] see Iocaste, mother and wife of Oedipus see  Iocaste, mother and wife of  Oedipus (Hom. Od. 11,271; Apollod. 3,48). Bloch, René (Berne)

[German version] (Ἐλεφήνωρ; Elephḗnōr). Son of Chalcodon, grandson of Abas and king of the  Abantes on Euboea. He was one of Helena's suitors (Apollod. 3,130) and the leader of the Abantes against Troy (Hom. Il. 2,540-541). He was expelled from Euboea following the accidental killing of his grandfather; for that reason, he was only able to call the Abantes to battle by shouting from a cliff top near Euboea (Lycoph. 1034 with Tzetz.). The sons of Theseus were among those who followed him to Troy (Paus. 1,17,6). E. was killed by  Agenor [5] (Hom. Il. 4,463-469). Bloch, René (Berne) Bibliography…

[German version] (Βάλιος, Βαλίας; Bálios, Balías) and Xanthus. Immortal horses of the Peleid  Achilles, who were born by the harpy Podarge to Zephyrus, god of the winds. Poseidon gave them to Peleus on his marriage to Thetis (Hom. Il. 16,148-154; Apollod. 3,170). Xanthus prophesied Achilles his approaching death (Hom. Il. 19,400-424). When he dies, B. and Xanthus want to leave the human sphere, but the gods order them to serve Achilles' son Neoptolemus and to carry him later to Elysium (Quint. Smyrn.…

(Εὔνομος; Eúnomos). [German version] [1] Cup-bearer and relative of king Oeneus Young cup-bearer and relative of King Oeneus. Hercules punches E. for his clumsiness, killing him, and then goes into voluntary exile in Trachis at the court of King Ceyx (Hellanicus FGrH 4 F 2; Apollod. 2,150). Bloch, René (Berne) [German version] [2] King of Sparta Spartan king of the clan of the Eurypontids. Perhaps the name was however only inserted on the royal list as a personification of  Eunomia [1]. Hdt. 8,131 places E. between  Polydectes and  Charillus, Paus. 3…

[German version] (Βῶρμος; Bôrmos). A handsome young Mariandynian (south coast of the Black Sea) who disappeared suddenly while he was out fetching water for reapers. According to Hsch (s.v. Β. 356) he was taken by nymphs. Another tradition reports that as the son of Titias, brother of Priolas and Mariandynus, he lost his life on a hunt (Nymphis of Heraclea FGrH 432 F5; Domitius Callistratus FGrH 433 F3; Poll. 4,54f.). The Mariandynians called out after him in laments during high summer. The oldest allusions to this are in Aesch. Pers. 937. Bloch, René (Berne) Bibliography Nilsson, Feste 4…

[German version] (Βρισηίς; Brisēís). Prisoner of war and beloved of  Achilles who carried her off as booty in Lyrnessus (Mysia) after he had slain her husband and three brothers (Hom. Il. 2,688-693; 19,291-297). According to Il. 9,128-134; 270-276 (with schol. Il. 1,366), B. was one of seven girls whom Achilles had captured on Lesbos. In schol. Il. 1,392, B. is called Hippodamia. According to the Cypria, B. came from Pedasus in the Troad, another town that had been conquered by Achilles (schol. Il.…

[German version] (Ἰχθυοφάγοι/ Ichthyophágoi, ‘fish-eaters’). Collective ethnographic term for coastal peoples who primarily live on fish. As a Utopian people residing at the ends of the then-known world, the I. are described as models of justice, but sometimes also as animal-like, living on a low civilizational level (Agatharchides of Cnidus, De Mari Erythro, fr. 31-49 = GGM 1, 129-141). Most frequently mentioned are the Ethiopian I. on the Red Sea, whom Herodotus reports as having been sent (in va…

(Ἠριδανός/ Ēridanós, Latin Eridanus). [German version] [1] Personification of a river in the west of France or Spain Mythical river in the (north) west (northern Italy, south of France or Spain), son of  Oceanus and  Tethys (Hes. Theog. 338).  Phaeon plunged into the E. from his sun wagon and his sisters ( Heliades) were turned into black poplars on the banks of the E., and their tears into amber (Eur. Hipp. 736-741; Ov. Met. 2,324; 365; Hyg. Fab. 152; 154). Since Hesiod, the E. is associated with the creation of…

(Χλωρίς, Χλῶρις; Chlōrís, Chlôris). [German version] [1] Goddess According to Ovid (Fast. 5,195ff.) the goddess  Flora was originally called C.; Zephyrus took her as his wife and made her goddess of flowers. This juxtaposition is an invention of Ovid. It was taken up by Lactantius (1,20,8) and by the Anthologia Latina (747R.). Bloch, René (Berne) [German version] [2] Daughter of Niobe, the only one spared by Artemis Daughter of  Amphion [1] and  Niobe. She was the only one of the daughters of Niobe to be spared by Artemis, because she prayed to Leto. Her image …

[German version] (Βυβλίς, Βιβλίς; Byblís, Biblís). Daughter of Miletus and Eidothea, the daughter of Eurytus, or of Cyane, the daughter of Maeander. Her passionate love for her twin brother  Caunus drives him into exile and herself into death. In respect of her end, the stories vary: she hangs herself (Parthenius 11; Conon 2), she jumps off a cliff and is transformed into a hamadryad by nymphs (Ant. Lib. 30 according to Nicander), or she dissolves into tears and becomes a spring (Ov. Met. 9,450-665). According to Steph. Byz. (s.v. B.), B. is the eponym of the Phoenician town of Byblus. Bloch, …

[German version] (Edula, Edusa, Edulia). Roman ‘special deity’ ( Indigitamenta), which, according to Varro (antiquitates rerum divinarum 114 Cardauns) was named in Christian Polemic (Tert. Ad nat. 2,11,8: Edula; Aug. Civ. 4,34; 6,9) together with  Potina. According to Varro in Non. 151, E. ( Edusa) supposedly watched over the food for the children. Sacrifices were made to her when children had their first meal. In Donat. Ter. Phorm. 1,1,15, her name is Edulia. According to [1], E. was originally a gens deity. Bloch, René (Berne) Bibliography 1 F. Altheim, Röm. Religionsgesch. 1,…

[German version] (Εὐτέρπη; Eutérpē; cf. τέρπειν; térpein, ‘giver of joy’). One of the nine  Muses, the daughter of Zeus and  Mnemosyne (Hes. Theog. 77; Apollod. 1,13; Orph. H. 76,8; schol. Apoll. Rhod. 3,1 b). Later texts describe flute playing as her particular responsibility (Hor. Carm. 1,1,33; schol. Eur. Rhes. 346; schol. Hes. Theog. 76). According to Apollodorus of Athens (FGrH 244 F 146) and Heraclid. fr. 159 Wehrli, E. was impregnated by Strymon and gave birth to  Rhesus (cf. Apollod. 1,18; sch…

[German version] (Πυγμαῖοι/ Pygmaîoi; from πυγμή/ pygmḗ, 'fist'; hence 'mittens' [1]; Lat. Pygmaei). A dwarf people, generally located by ancient ethnography at the edge of the known world, i.e. in Africa (Aristot. Hist. an. 8,12,597a), India (Ctesias FGrH 688 F 45) and Thrace (Plin. HN 4,44). Pygmy is, however, also a general term for people of unusually short stature (Aristot. Gen. an. 2,8,749a 4-6). Mythology has pygmies originating from Gaea and Poseidon  (Hes. fr. 150,17-18 Merkelbach/West). Herodotus'…

[German version] (μονόκερως/ monókerōs, monoceros, unicornis). The unicorn was irrelevant to Graeco-Roman mythology; and it was not a theme in iconography (it is common, however, in mediaeval book illustration). Accounts of one-horned animals are more frequent, originating primarily from the Indian rhinoceros (Aristot. Hist. an. 2,1, 499b20; Aristot. Part. an. 3,2,663a20; Megasthenes FGrH 715 F 27b;  Ael. NA 3,41; 16,20; Plin. HN 8,76; 11,255). The main source was Ctesias of Cnidus, who was the first to describe in detail a fabulous one-horned wild ass in his Ἰνδικά ( Indiká = FGr…