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[German version] I. Ancient East and Egypt Monsters appear frequently in the art of the Ancient East and Egypt, with the exception of the very earliest periods.  They combine elements from two of more animals, or from animals and humans. In Egypt the gods themselves are often represented as hybrid monsters. with a great variety of forms: gods with animal heads, like Amun and Chnum (ram; Chnubis), Thot (ibis), Horus and Re (falcon), Sebek (crocodile), Anubis (dog) and Chontamenti (wolf or jackal); goddesses such as Bastet with a cat's head or Hathor with a cow's head; vulture-goddesses like Mut and Nechbet; gods with a lion's head, like the male Nefertum and the female Sechmet and Tefnut; the god Nu, who often has a frog's head; Seker, who is depicted as a hawk or as a mummy with a hawk's head; the dwarf-god Bes with a bushy tail. Seth was shown as a ‘Typhonian beast’ (Typhoeus), a…

[German version] (Φορκίδες/ Phorkídes, also Φορκυνίδες/ Phorkynídes or Φορκυνάδες/ Phorkynádes). Daughters of Phorcys [1], viz. the Gorgons (Gorgo [1]) and the Graeae; the latter were brought to the stage by Aeschylus in his Phorcides (TrGF 3 F 261f.). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

(Ναύπλιος; Naúplios). [German version] [1] Hero who founded Nauplia Son of Poseidon and Amymone. Born in Argos, he founded Nauplia (Paus. 2,38,2; 4,35,2) on the other side of the Gulf of Argolis. He was a famous sailor and represented the prototype of the slave-trading merchant captain. When Heracles seduces Auge [2]…

(Ναυσίθοος; Nausíthoos). [German version] [1] Son of Poseidon and Periboea Son of Poseidon and Periboea, grandson of Eurymedon [1], king of the Phaeaces. He and his people flee from the  Cyclopes to the island of Drepane or Scheria. There he becomes the father of Alcinous [1] and Rhexenor. When Heracles [1] comes to him after having killed his own children, he purifies him (Hom. Od. 6,1-11; 7,56-63; Apoll. Rhod. 4,539-550). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Son of Odysseus and Calypso Son of Odysseus and  Calypso (Hes. theog. 1017f.) or Circe (Hyg. Fab. 125). …

(Παλαμήδης/ Palamḗdēs). [German version] [1] Son of Nauplius and Clymene (Π./ P., or Ταλαμήδης/ Talamḗdēs, Etr. Palmithe or Talmithe). Son of Nauplius [1] and Clymene [5] or Hesione [2], brother of Oeax (Apollod. 2,23; 3,15). The seemingly obvious etymological meaning of the name ('with skilful hands') becomes doubtful considering the Etruscan form talmithe (from Greek pálmys = basileús, 'king'). In Greek, P. is the epitome of the skilful inventor ( prṓtos heuretḗs ) [1] (cf. Pl. Phdr. 261d). He is attributed, for instance, with the invention (or increase) of letters (Hyg. Fab. 277; Tac. Ann. 11,14), the game of di…

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(νότος; nótos) [German version] I. Meteorology Three winds blowing from the south were distinguished in antiquity: (1.) the nótos (νότος, Latin auster) proper blew from various directions in winter (from November) and is described as rain-bringing, stormy and bringing obscured visibility (evidence in [1]); (2.) the mild, changeable and sky-clearing λευκόνοτος/ leukónotos was encountered after the December solstice and on the dog-days (νότος λαμπρός: Theophr. Hist. plant. 6,3,4). Ps.-Aristot. Probl. 26,20 derives the difference between the visibi…

(Μερόπη/Merópē). [German version] [1] One of the seven Pleiades One of the seven Pleiades, daughter of Atlas, wife of Sisyphus, mother of Glaucus [2] (Apollod. 1,85; 3,110; Hyg. fab. 192; Ov. Fast. 4,175). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Daughter of Oenopion and Helice Daughter of Oenopion and Helice, raped by Orion (Apollod. 1,25; Hyg. Astr. 2,34). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) …

[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)

(Ὀστάνης/ Ostánēs). [German version] [1] Persian governor of Babylonia and the Transeuphrates Akkadian Uštani. Persian governor of Babylonia and the Transeuphrates under Darius I (attested from 521-516 BC) [1]. Wiesehöfer, Josef (Kiel) Bibliography 1 M.W. Stolper, Entrepreneurs and Empire, 1985, 8, 66. [German version] [2] Persian magician (Hostanes: Apul. Apol. 90). According to the Graeco-Roman biographical tradition, O. was a Persian magician who accompanied the expedition of Xerxes against Greece (479 BC) (Plin. HN 30,8 = [1. fragment 1…

[German version] [1] Writer of a paean, c. 300 BC? Author of a paean to Apollo and Asclepius passed down to us in inscriptions (1st cent. BC) in Delphi, created perhaps already around 300 BC [1; 2], in dactylic metre [3]. Probably not identical with M. [2] (thus still [4]). The content and structure of the paean closely follow the Erythraean paean and Isyllus; cf. Ariphron. Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) Bibliography 1 W. Peek, Att. Versinschr. (Abhandlungen der Sächsischen Akademie der Wiss. Leipzig, Philol.-histor. Klasse 69/2), 1980, 45f. (Text) 2 L. Käppel, Paian, 1992, 200-206, 383f. (text…

[German version] [1] King of the Rutuli Mythical king of the Rutuli, son of Daunus [2] and Venilia, brother of Iuturna, from the city of Ardea; reigning when Aeneas [1] arrived in Italy. According to a (probably earlier ) tradition he and Latinus [1] fight against the invading Aeneas. When Latinus falls, T. flees to Mezentius, and the two take up the battle again; in the end T. himself and Aeneas fall (Cato HRR fr. 9-10). In another variant he fights against Latinus and Aeneas, because, having original…

[German version] [1] First wife of Aegeus (Μήτα; Mḗta, = Melite: Schol. Eur. Med. 673), first wife of Aegeus (Apollod. 3,207). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [2] General [German version] A. Definition The etymology of the Latin term meta is unclear. Basically it describes cone- or pyramid-shaped objects of stone, or sometimes wood, with various functions. In stone as a meta molendaria, the conical lower stone of ancient mills ( mola asinaria, Mill), on top of which the upper stone, the catillus, turned (Dig. 33,7,18,5). Nielsen, Inge (Hamburg) [German version] B. Meta in the Roman circus In the Rom…

(Ποδάρκης; Podárkēs). [German version] [1] Leader of the Thessalians at Troy Son of Iphicles, after the death of his brother Protesilaus leader of the Thessalians from Phylace and other cities in the Trojan War (Hom. Il. 2,704; 13,693). He kills the Amazon Clonie and is killed by Penthesilea (Quint. Smyrn. 1,233-248; 818-829 after the Little Iliad). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Son of the Trojan king Laomedon Son of the Trojan king Laomedon [1], original name of Priamus. In the first Trojan War he is the only one of Laomedon's sons spared by Heracles [1], and is 'bought' ( apò toû …

[German version] Epiclesis of Juno (Verg. Aen. 4,166), referring to her identity as goddess of wedding (cf. Juno Iuga); Juno P. was called upon when reading auspices and at the actual espousal. Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

[German version] (Μείλιχος; Meílichos). Mythical king of Spain, son of a satyr and the nymph Myrice; with horns on his head was (Sil. Pun. 3,103-105). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

(Μέρμερος; Mérmeros). [German version] [1] Trojan Trojan, killed by Antilochus (Hom. Il. 14,513). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Father of the mythical King Ilus of Ephyre Father of a mythical king, Ilius of Ephyre in Thesprotia, visited by Odysseus (Hom. Od. 1,259f.). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [3] A son of Jason [1] and Medea One of the two sons of Jason [1] and Medea. He and his brother Pheres are killed by their mother in revenge on Jason (Eur. Med.). According to Paus. 2,3,7, he is killed by a lioness during a hunt on Corfu. Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

[German version] (Θέμις/ Thémis, literally 'law, sacred ordinance'). Greek goddess and divine personification of sacred ancient law (cf., in contrast, Dike [1]). She stands for the traditional order of things, be it based on human convention (as in Hom. Od. 14,56 about the correct treatment of strangers) or on nature itself (as in Hom. Od. 9,130 about the 'nature of woman'). She plays an important role in the orderly call for assemblies (cf. Hom. Il. 20,4 f. etc.). Originally, themis probably referred to 'what was laid down', in Mycenaean perhaps the word for 'debt' [1. 25 f., 106, 121]. A…

(Ναύβολος; Naúbolos). [German version] [1] King of Tanagra Mythical king of Tanagra, son of Ornytus and Perinice, father of the Argonaut Iphitus (Apoll. Rhod. 1,207f.; cf. Hom. Il. 2,518; partly divergent Hyg. Fab. 14). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Of Argus, father of an Argonaut N. of Argos, grandson of Proetus, great-grandson of Nauplius [2], father of the Argonaut Clytoneus (Apoll. Rhod. 1,135). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [3] Father of the Phaeacian Euryalus Father of the Phaeacian Euryalus (Hom. Od. 8,116). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

(Φόρκυς/ Phórkys, Latin Phorcus, Phorcys, Phorcyn). [German version] [1] Sea god Sea god, son of Pontus and Gaia, brother of Nereus (Hes. Theog. 237; in Orph. Fr. 16 son of Oceanus and Tethys, in Orph. Fr. 114 Titan); with his sister Ceto he fathered monsters (Phorcydes) such as the Graeae, Gorgons (Gorgo [1]), Echidna and the snake Ladon [1] (Hes. Theog. 270-303; 333-336); according to others he was also the father of the Sirens (Soph. fr. 861 TrGF), the Hesperides (schol. Apoll. Rhod. 4,1399d), Scylla (Apoll. Rhod. 4,828f. with schol.) and Thoosa (Hom. Od. 1,71f.). In the Odyssey, where a…