Search

[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'…

(Βρῖσαι; Brîsai). [German version] [1] Nymphs on Ceos Nymphs on Ceos; introduced the rural deity  Aristaeus to olive oil and honey (Hsch s.v. B. 348; schol. Theoc. 5,53). Even in antiquity they were associated with the Lesbian Dionysus,  Brisaeus, whom a nymph Brisa is said to have nurtured (schol. Pers. 1,76). Bloch, René (Berne) [German version] [2] Thracian sub-tribe Thracian sub-tribe above the lower Nestus, neighbours of the Sinti and Mygdones; only attested once in literature (Plin. HN 4,40), frequently conjectured to be Brigas (Brison in Arr. Ana…

[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…

(Διοπείθης; Diopeíthēs). [German version] [1] Writer of Old Comedy Author of Old Comedy, only known from inscriptions; probably won at the Dionysia for the first time in 451 BC [1. test.]. Bäbler, Balbina (Göttingen) Bibliography 1 PCG V, 1986, 43. [German version] [2] Athenian oracle consultant and fanatical opponent of the enlightenment promoted by Pericles Athenian oracle consultant and fanatical opponent of the enlightenment promoted by  Pericles. Following his petition it was decided in 437/6(?) BC to prosecute those who did not believe in the …

[German version] (Χρυσηίς; Chrysēís). Etymology ‘girl from  Chryse’ or ‘daughter of Chryses’. The daughter of the Apollo priest Chryses who was captured by  Achilles in Thebes and allotted to Agamemnon as a slave. When Chryses pleaded with Agamemnon to have C. returned, he was refused. On Chryses' prayer Apollo forced the return of C. by sending a plague. Agamemnon then demanded Achilles' captive  Briseis as a substitute and, thus, incurred his anger (Hom. Il. 1). According to schol. Il. 1,392 C. w…

[German version] (Χρυσίππη; Chrysíppē). Danaid who killed her spouse Chrysippus, son of Aegyptus (Apollod. 2,18; Hyg. Fab. 170). Bloch, René (Berne)

[German version] (Δεῖμος; Deîmos). Personification of fear; usually associated with  Phobos. Together with  Eris the pair urge warriors into battle (Hom. Il. 4,440), and harness the horses to  Ares's chariot (Il. 15,119f.).  Antimachus [3] misinterpreted them as the horses of Ares, descended from Thyella (‘storm’) [1]; similarly, in Val. Fl. 3,89 Terror and Pavor are the horses of Mars. According to Hes. Theog. 934, D. and Phobos are the sons of Ares and Cythereia (Aphrodite). In Semus, FGrH 396 F …

[German version] The personification and deification of harmony analogous to the Greek  Homonoia (Cic. Nat. D. 2,61; ThlL, Onom. 2, 555-558 s.v. C.). C. is attested on one of the pocula deorum ( Cucordia. pocolo) [1]. Worship of c. is attested in Rome from the 4th cent. BC. The decisive phases in her history are associated with the search for internal unity (cf. the concordia ordinum). A first temple was allegedly dedicated to her in the northwest corner of the Forum in 367 BC by  Camillus to celebrate the end of the ‘struggle of the orders’ (Plut. Camillus 4…

[German version] (Κανδαύλης; Kandaúlēs). According to Hdt. 1.7-12, the last ruler of the Heraclid dynasty in Lydian Sardis. The Greeks also called him Myrsilus after his father Myrsus. C. allowed his faithful retainer  Gyges [1] to see his wife naked so that he would be convinced of her beauty. He was then murdered by Gyges after C.'s wife confronted him with the choice of suicide as an alternative. A dramatic version of this material can be glimpsed from the remnants of the text (TrGF II Adespota …

[German version] (Βότρης; Bótrēs). Son of the Theban Eumelus. When the latter, in B.'s presence, is about to sacrifice a sheep to Apollo, B. eats the animal's brains before it is placed on the altar. Thereupon his father strikes him with a firebrand. Apollo, however, takes pity on him and turns him into the bird, Aeropus (Bee-eater), which broods in an underground nest and continually seeks to fly (Ant. Lib. 18). Bloch, René (Berne)

(Διώρης; Diṓrēs). [German version] [1] Son of Amarynceus Son of  Amarynceus [1]. One of the four leaders of the Epeians from Elis who went to Troy. He was killed by the Thracian Peirous (Hom. Il. 2,622; 4,517; Paus. 5,3,4). Bloch, René (Berne) Bibliography W. Kullmann, Die Quellen der Ilias, Hermes ES 14, 1960, 98 and 162 E. Visser, Homers Katalog der Schiffe, 1997, 569-573. [German version] [2] Father of Automedon Father of  Automedon, chariot driver to Achilles and Patroclus (Hom. Il. 17,429). Bloch, René (Berne) [German version] [3] Son of Priamus Son of Priamus, companion of  Ae…

[German version] (Δημοδίκη; Dēmodíkē). Second wife of the Boeotian king  Athamas and stepmother of Phrixus whom she pursues in unrequited love. Phrixus takes flight for this reason (Pind. fr. 49, Damodika; Schol. Pind. Pyth. 4,288a). Usually she is called  Ino (Apollod. 1,80-84). In another version she is the wife of Cretheus, brother of Athamas. She slanders Phrixus, who will not return her love, before Cretheus, whereupon he demands Phrixus' death from Athamas. However, Phrixus is removed by his mother  Nephele (Hyg. Poet. Astr. 2,20). Bloch, René (Berne) Bibliography P. Angeli B…

[German version] (Εὐφροσύνη; Euphrosýne, ‘cheerfulness’). One of the  Charites (Hes. Theog. 909; Pind. Ol. 14,14; Apollod. 1,13). In Hyg. Poet. Fab. praef. E. is a daughter of Erebos and  Nyx (cf. Gratia in Cic. Nat. D. 3,44). In Orph. H. 3,5 E. is an epithet of Nyx. Bloch, René (Berne) Bibliography K.-H. Tomberg, E. B. Harrison, s.v. Charis, Charites, LIMC 3.1, 191-203.

(Δωρίς; Dōrís). [German version] I. Personal names Feminine shortened version of the name Eúdōros and similar, likely often understood as ‘the giver’ (cf. dōron, ‘Gift’). Bloch, René (Berne) [German version] [I 1] One of the Oceanids, mother of the Nereids One of the  Oceanids, the daughters of Oceanus and of Tethys (Hes. Theog. 350); cf. Polydore and Eudore in Hes. Theog. 354; 360 and the ‘Dorids’ in Goethe's ‘Faust’. Wife of Nereus, mother of the 50  Nereids (Hes. Theog. 241; Apollod. 1,11; Ov. Met. 2,11; 269). Bloch, René (Berne) [German version] [I 2] Daughter of Nereus, one of th…

(Εὔμηλος; Eúmēlos). [German version] [1] Leader of the pherae. fleet against Troy Son of  Admetus and  Alcestis. He led (only) 11 ships from Pherae against Troy (Hom. Il. 2,711-715) [1]. Although he had the best horses (Hom. Il. 2,763-767), he did not win the chariot race at the funeral games for Patroclus, as Athena broke the yoke of his chariot (Hom. Il. 23,391-397). Achilles nevertheless awarded him a prize (23, 533-538). According to Apollod. epit. 5,5, he is said to have won at the funeral games for Ac…

[German version] [1] Son of Tiber and Manto, founder of Mantua Son of the Tiber and Manto, daughter of Teiresias or Hercules. B., also named Ocnus (Aucnus) (Verg. Aen. 10,198), is said to have founded the city of Mantua and named it after his mother. According to others (Serv. Aen.) B. founded Felsina, later to become Bononia (Bologna); Virgil (Ecl. 9,60) mentions B.'s grave. Bloch, René (Berne) Bibliography F. E. Brenk, War and the shepherd. The tomb of B. in Vergil's ninth Eclogue, in: AJPh 102, 1981, 427-430. [German version] [2] Writer of epigrams in the ‘Garland’ of Philippus Writer of …

[German version] (Ἰαπετός; Iapetós). The etymology is uncertain, perhaps ‘the one hurled down’ (on ἰάπτειν; iáptein, ‘to hurl’ [1]). The often postulated connection to OT Japheth, the third son of Noah (Gen. 5,32 et passim), cannot be proven [2; 3]. I. is the titan who was hurled by Zeus into Tartarus along with  Kronos (Hom. Il. 8,479). Son of  Gaia and  Uranus (Hes. Theog. 134). He fathered the sons  Atlas [2],  Menoetius,  Prometheus and Epimetheus with the Oceanid Clymene (Hes. Theog. 507-511). Among others, Asia (Apollod. 1…

(Ἠετίων; Ēetíon, linguistically probably not of Greek origin [1]). Name, especially of foreign heroes. [German version] [1] King of the Cilicians in Mysian Thebe King of the Cilicians in Mysian Thebe (Hom. Il. 1,366). His daughter  Andromache told her husband Hector how Achilles killed her father E. and her seven brothers during the conquest of Thebe: Achilles set up a monument for the father. The wife of E. was ransomed but later killed by Artemis (Hom. Il. 6,394-428). Among the booty from the conquest of Thebe was th…

(Εὐρυάλη; Euryálē). [German version] [1] One of the Gorgons One of the  Gorgons (Hes. Theog. 276; Pind. Pyth. 12,20; Apollod. 2,40). Bloch, René (Berne) [German version] [2] Mother of Orion Mother of  Orion (Eratosth. Katasterismoi 32; Hyg. Poet. Astr. 2,34; Apollod. 1,25). Bloch, René (Berne)