Search

(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)

(Ὀφίων/ Ophíōn). [German version] [1] First ruler of the world also Ophioneus (Pherecydes of Syrus 7 B 4 Diels/ Kranz). First ruler of the world, overthrown by Kronos (Apoll. Rhod. 1,503-506), husband of Eurynome [1], referred to by schol. Lycophr. 1191 as a Titan, considered by Nonn. Dion. 41,352 to be identical with Uranus. The idea of a serpent ( óphis) as ruler of the world may be derived from Orphic (Orphism) or near eastern beliefs [1]. Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Giant in the shape of a serpent Giant in the shape of a serpent, defeated by Zeus in a battle against …

[German version] (Πηνέλεως/ Pēnéleōs, Lat. Peneleus). Son of Hippalcimus and Asterope (Hyg. Fab. 97), Argonaut and suitor of Helena [1] (Apollod. 1,113; 3,130), leader of the Boeotians in the Trojan War (Hom. Il. 2,494). There, he kills Ilioneus and Lycon (Hom. Il. 11,487ff.; 16,335ff.), is wounded by Polydamas [1] (Hom. Il. 17,597-600) and finally, in the Posthomerica , is killed by Eurypylus [1] (Paus. 9,5,15); in a different version, P. survives to become one of the warriors inside the Trojan Horse (Tryphiodorus 180) or to take part as a fighter in…

[German version] (also Rea Silvia). Poetically also Ilía (for identity of both: Dion. Hal. Ant. Rom. 1,76,3 i.a.). Mother of Romulus [1] and Remus. She is mentioned for the first time in Naevius (cf. Serv. Aen. 1,273; 6,777) and in Ennius (Ann. 29,34-50), apparently as the daughter of Aeneas [1]. Later sources, however, identify her as the daughter of Numitor and thereby move the founding of Rome several generations away from Aeneas and the ruin of Troy. The main version of the myth is essentially to be found in…

(Μούνυχος/ Moúnychos, Μούνιχος/ Moúnichos, also Μόνιχος/ Mónichos, Μούνιτος/ Moúnitos). [German version] [1] Hero of Attica Hero of Attica, son of Pantades, eponym of the harbour of Munichia in Piraeus (Eur. Hipp. 761-763). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Son of Acamas and Priam's daughter Laodice [I1] M. (Munitus): son of Acamas and Priam's daughter Laodice [I 1], brought up by his grandmother Aethra; died of a snake bite after the fall of Troy (Euphorion fr. 58 Powell), perhaps identical with M. [1]. Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [3] King of the Molossians Later sour…

(Ὠκυρ(ρ)όη; Ōkyr(r)hóē). [German version] [1] Daughter of Oceanus Daughter of Oceanus (Hes. Theog. 360). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Playmate of Persephone Playmate of  Persephone (Hom. H. 5,420). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [3] Samian nymph Samian nymph, daughter of the river god Imbrasus and of Chesias; loved by Apollo, who pursues her and turns the ship onto which she escapes into a rock and its helmsman Pompilus into the fish of that name (Hellenistic erotic story, Apoll. Rhod. in Athen. 7,283d-e; (Ps.-)Ov. Halieutica 101). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) …

(Νάνας/ Nánas, Νάνος/ Nános). [German version] [1] Mythical leader of the Pelasgians Mythical leader of the Pelasgians at the time of their emigration to Italia (Hellanicus FGrH 323a F 4; Hdt. 1,57). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Epithet of Odysseus There was a prophecy that Odysseus as N. would conclude a brotherhood in arms with Aeneas [1] in Italia (Lykophr. 1242ff.; cf. Dion. Hal. Ant. 1,72,2; 12,16). On Odysseus's Italian journey cf. Hom. Od. 11,119ff.; Hes. Theog. 1105 with comm. West. Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [3] King of the Segobrigii Mythical king of the…

[German version] (Μενοίτης; Menoítēs). The mythical herdsman of Hades, who watches his herds on the island Erythea near the entrance of the Underworld. He reports Hercules's theft of one of his cattle to the neighbouring herdsman Geryoneus, but is killed by Hercules in a wrestling match (Apollod. 2,108; 125). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

(Πολυδέκτης/ Polydéktēs). [German version] [1] Mythical colonist and king of Seriphus Son of Magnes [2], mythical colonist and king of Seriphus, brother of Dictys [1]. He wanted to force Danae, who had been stranded in a box with her son Perseus, into marriage, but Perseus turned him to stone with the head of Medusa (Gorgo [1]), which he had brought from the Hyperborei, and made Dictys king (Pind. P. 12; Apollod. 2,24-46). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Epithet of Hades Poetic epithet of the god of the underworld (the 'receiver of many', the 'hospitable'; Hades, Pl…

[German version] (Ὀπώρα/ Opṓra). Goddess of rich harvests, especially of the wine harvest and its season. She, together with Theoria ('festive delegation'), accompanies Eirene [1] ('peace') in Aristoph. Pax 523, 706ff. The Attic comic writers Alexis (PCG II fr. 169f.) and Amphis (PCG II fr. 47) both wrote a work called O.: Sirius the star comes to earth and falls in love with O. When he is unable to win her, his amorous passion becomes so great that the people turn to the gods for help. The north wind Boreas orders his sons to obtain O. for Sir…

[German version] (Πλήξιππος/ Plḗxippos). Son of Thestius, brother of Althaea; participant in the Calydonian Hunt; P. is killed by his nephew  Meleager [1], because he intended to steal from  Atalante the pelt of the Calydonian boar, which Meleager had given her (Apollod. 1,62; Ov. Met. 8,305; 434; 440; Hyg. Fab. 173; 174; 244). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

(Περίφας; Períphas). [German version] [1] Hero at Troy, killed by Ares Mythical hero at Troy, from Aetolia, killed by Ares (Hom. Il. 5,842. 847). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Hero at Troy, comrade of Neoptolemus Mythical hero at Troy, comrade of Neoptolemus [1] (Verg. Aen. 2,476). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [3] Trojan Trojan, herald of Anchises, in whose shape Apollo roused Aeneas [1] to battle (Hom. Il. 17,323). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [4] Archaic Attic king before even Cecrops Mythical archaic king of Attica, before even Cecrops; venerate…

(Μύνης; Mýnēs). [German version] [1] Ruler of a city in the Troad Mythological ruler of a city in the Troad, during the destruction of which the husband of Briseis was killed by  Achilles (Hom. Il. 19,296). He is probably identical with the son of Euenus, the brother of Epistrophus (Hom. Il. 2,692). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Progenitor of the Attic dynasty Mythological progenitor of the Attic dynasty, father of Pedias, the wife of king Cranaus (Apollod. 3,186). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

[German version] (Ξενόδαμος; Xenódamos). 7th century BC Greek choral lyric poet from Cythera. In the generation after Terpander, together with Thaletas and Xenocritus [1] of Locri he took part in various musical reforms in Sparta (Plut. De musica 9,1134b-c). Like the other two he was a composer of paeans (Plut. ibid.), which in Antiquity were also classified as Hyporchḗmata (Plut. loc.cit.; [1. 82],  cf. [2. 15-17; 3. 99-100; 4. 335]). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) Bibliography 1 L. Käppel, Paian, 1992 2 Id., Bakchylides und das System der chorlyrischen Gattungen im 5. Jh. v. Chr., in: A.…

[German version] (masc.) or onocentaura (fem.) (Ὀνοκένταυρος/ Onokéntauros, Ὀνοκένταυρα/ Onokéntaura). Mythological monster. The word is first found in the LXX, in which the name O. is used for the Hebrew word for 'jackal' (Is 13:22; 34:14). The Biblical explanation appears to consider the O. to be a demon (Theodoretus of Cyrus, Commentary on Is 13:22). In Greek and Latin non-Christian literature it is first found in Ael. NH 17,9: there its face is human, as are its body from the chest to the loins and i…

[German version] (Πριόλας; Priólas). Local hero of Priola near Heraclea [7], brother of Bormus and Mariandynus (Poll. 4,55). Killed in battle; Heracles [1] takes part in his funeral games; every year ritual threnodies are held in his honour (Apoll. Rhod. 2,780-785 with schol.). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel)

(Περικλύμενος/ Periklýmenos, Latin Periclymenus). [German version] [1] Epithet of Pluto Epithet of Pluto (Hesych. s.v. Π.). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [2] Son of Poseidon Son of Poseidon. In the war of the Seven against Thebes he kills Parthenopaeus (Eur. Phoen. 1156ff.; Apollod. 3,75). Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) [German version] [3] Son of Neleus and Chloris Son of Neleus [1] and Chloris [4] (Hom. Od. 11,281ff.). Took part in the campaign of the Argonautai (Apoll. Rhod. 1,56ff.). Despite his ability to change form he was killed by  Heracles [1] …

[German version] From Sicyon, choral lyricist (performance in Athens: 406/398 BC: IG II2 3092). Writer of a  paean to  Hygiea, famous up to the imperial period in many places. The poem, written in dactylo-epitrites pleaded for assistance from ‘Health’, personified as a deity (not yet genealogically connected with Apollo/Asclepius). It certainly belongs in the context of the Asclepius cult of Epidaurus and Athens [3]. Erroneously associated with  Licymnius [1; 2] by some researchers.  Choral lyrics Käppel, Lutz (Kiel) Bibliography 1 K. Keyßner, PhW 53, 1933, 1289-1296 2 U. v. Wi…