Search

[German version] [1] One of the Tyrrhenian pirates One of the Tyrrhenian pirates who, together with them abducts Dionysius who is disguised as a drunken boy. As a punishment all pirates are transformed into dolphins by the wine god, except the helmsman Acoetes ( Acoetes [1]) who wants to keep them from the outrage (Ov. Met. 3,605-691; Hyg. Fab. 134). Frey, Alexandra (Basle) [German version] [2] Brother of Lysander, Spartan nauarch 403 BC Brother of Lysander, as Spartan nauarch he blockaded Piraeus in 403 BC in order to combat the revolt of Thrasybulus and his suppo…

[German version] (Λυκωπεύς; Lykōpeús). Son of the Aetolian hero Agrius [1] who, together with his brothers, dethrones his uncle Oeneus in Calydon in favour of his father. As a result, L., together with his brothers - with the exception of two of them -, is killed by Diomedes [1] (Apollod. 1,77f.; Paus. 2,25,2) or by Tydeus (Diod. Sic. 4,65,2), and Agrius is dethroned (Hyg. Fab. 242). Frey, Alexandra (Basle)

[German version] (Κώκαλος; Kṓkalos; Lat. Cocalus). Mythical king, who took over control of Sicily after the destruction of the  Cyclopes (Just. Epit. 4,2,2). He allowed  Daedalus [1], who was fleeing from the Cretan king  Minos, into the city  Camicus (in Paus. 7,4,6 Inykos), as also Minos who was pursuing him; the latter, however, he then had killed in a shower of hot water (schol. Hom. Il. 2,145; Apollod. [see authors/works] 1,14f.) that his daughters poured down on him through the bathroom ceili…

[German version] (Νέσσος/ Néssos, Νέσος/ Nésos). Centaur, son of Ixion and Nephele [2] (= Nubes), who, after the war of the Lapiths (Lapithae) and the centaurs, flees to the river Euenus (= Lycormas), where he works as a ferryman (Apollod. 2,86). When Heracles [1] and his wife Deianira want to cross the river, N. helps Deianira, carrying her across the water, while Heracles walks or swims (Ov. Met. 9,101ff.) to the other side. In the middle of the river, N. wants to rape Deianira. Heracles shoots N. …

(Λαῖλαψ/ Laîlaps, ‘hurricane’). [German version] [1] Dog of Cephalus The dog of Cephalus, inescapable because of its swiftness. L. is turned to stone during the chase (Ov. Met. 7,771ff.; Hyg. Fab. 189; Serv. Aen. 6,445). Frey, Alexandra (Basle) [German version] [2] Dog of Actaeon Dog of Actaeon that, together with the rest of a pack of hounds, attacks and kills his master who has been transformed into a stag by Artemis (Ov. Met. 3,211; Hyg. Fab. 181). Frey, Alexandra (Basle)

(Λαίας, Λαΐας; Laías, Laïas). [German version] [1] Son of the Aegid Hyraeus Son of the Aegid Hyraeus. Together with his brothers, L. erected heroic sanctuaries in Sparta to Cadmus and Aegeus, among others, because the Aegids trace themselves to the Theban dynasty (Paus. 3,15,8; Hdt. 4,147). Frey, Alexandra (Basle) [German version] [2] Son of Oxylus Son of Oxylus, king of Elis, and Pieria. After the death of his older brother Aetolus, L. takes over the kingdom from his father; L.'s children, however, do not receive the royal title (Paus. 5,4,4f.). A…

(Λακεδαίμων; Lakedaímōn). [German version] [1] Son of Zeus and Taygete Son of Zeus and Taygete (Apollod. 3,116), name-giver of the Taygetus, mountain range; L. inherits the rule from the childless Eurotas (Paus. 3,1,1f.), gives his name to the region, and founds the city of Sparta, which he names after his spouse Sparte. One of their sons, Amyclas, founds the city of Amyclae [1] (Eust. AD Hom. Il. 295,14f.). One of their daughters, Eurydice, marries Acrisius, king of Argus, and becomes mother of Danae…

[German version] (Μελισσεύς; Melisseús). Mythical king of Crete, father of the nymphs Adrastea and Ide [2] (Apollod. 1,5; Hyg. Fab. 182) or Amalthea [1] and Melissa [1] (Didymus In Lact. inst. 1,22,19 f.). After Rhe(i)a gives birth to Zeus in a cave of Mt Dicte on Crete, she hands them the baby and they raise him on goat's milk and honey. The names of M. and Melissa are derived from Greek méli (honey). According to Didymus (l.c.), M. was the first to sacrifice to the gods and to introduce rites and religious festivals. He appointed his daughter Melissa the first priestess of Mater Magna. Frey, Ale…

(Μύγδων; Mýgdōn). [German version] [1] King of the Bebrycians King of the Bebrycians, brother of Amycus [1]; killed by Heracles when he attacked Heracles' host, Lycus [5]. After M.'s death, Heracles gives Lycus a large part of the land of the Bebrycians, which is renamed Herakleia (Apollod. 2,100). Frey, Alexandra (Basle) [German version] [2] Ruler of the Phrygians Along with Otreus, M. rules over the Phrygians at the Sangarius river. These Phrygians are also called Mygdonians, after M. (Paus. 10,27,1; schol. Apoll. Rhod. 2,786f.). Priamus aids them in…

[German version] (Νεῖκος; Neîkos). Personification of hate and strife in Hesiod's creation mythology (Hes. Theog. 229). The goddess Eris, the daughter of Nyx, gives birth to the forces of evil: N., Pseudeis ( pseudeís, lies) and Logoi ( lógoi, wicked talk). In Timon [1. fr. 21], he is named as the brother and servant of Eris. In Empedocles' [1] theory of the origins of the world, N. is the principle of repulsion and separation, the antithesis of Philotes ( philótēs, love). N.  causes the cosmos and the current world to be created from the sphairos where all the forces were mixed together. Frey, …

[German version] (παγχαΐα/ panchaía sc. χώρα/ chṓra, ‘a very splendid land’). P. is the main island in a fictional archipelago first mentioned by Euhemerus and located in the Indian Ocean: “Sailing from happy Arabia out into the Ocean”, one arrives “in a still more blessed land”, the “very splendid land” (Diod. Sic. 5,41,3; 6,1,4). P. is  seen as the ideal of a country both for its natural qualities and for its political and economic conditions (Euhemerus FGrH 63 F 2). Utopia Frey, Alexandra (Basle)

(Μίμας). [German version] [1] Titan Giant, killed either by Zeus' thunderbolt in the fight to rule Olympus (Eur. Ion 212ff.), or by Ares' lance, after M. had torn the island of Lemnos out of the sea and hurled it at the god (Apoll. Rhod. 3,1227 with scholia). The field of battle was Phlegra on the Macedonian peninsula of Pallene; the struggle of M. and the Giants against other gods such as Pallas Athena and Hera was equally fruitless (schol. Apoll. Rhod. loc. cit.; Hor. Carm. …

[German version] (Κραγαλεύς). Son of  Dryops in the land of Dryope. C., who is wise and just, is chosen by  Apollo,  Artemis, and  Hercules to act as arbitrator in their dispute about the Epirote city  Ambracia. Apollo demands the city for himself because his son rules the land of Dryope. Artemis demands it because she had liberated the city from a tyrant, and Hercules because he defeated the Celts, the Thesproteans and the Epiroteans. C. awards the city to Hercules and in return is changed into a…

(Κλυτίος, Κλύτιος; Klytíos, Klýtios). [German version] [1] Giant Giant, who was killed either by Hecate with flaming torches or by Hephaestus with red-hot irons (Apollod. 1,37). Frey, Alexandra (Basle) [German version] [2] Son of Alcmaeon and Arsinoe [I 3] Son of Alcmaeon and  Arsinoe [I 3]; grandson of Amphiaraus (Apollod. 3,87; Paus. 6,17,6). The soothsaying family of the  Clyti(a)dae in Elis can be traced back to C. (Cic. Div. 1,91). Frey, Alexandra (Basle) [German version] [3] Argonaut Argonaut, son of Eurytus of Oechalia (Apoll. Rhod. 1,86; 2,1043). C. was killed b…

[German version] (Νῶραξ/ Nôrax). Son of Hermes and Erytheia, daughter of Geryoneus. According to legend, N. led the Iberians out of Spanish Tartessus to Sardinia, and founded the first town there, which was named Nora [1] after him (Paus. 10,17,5). Frey, Alexandra (Basle)

(Κάρπος; Kárpos). [German version] [1] Son of Zephyrus and a certain Hore Handsome youth, son of Zephyrus and of a certain Hore ( Horae). He organizes a swimming race with  Calamus, his best friend, but drowns in the event. In mourning, his friend kills himself and is turned into reeds. C. is turned into a crop of the field (Nonnus, Dion. 11,385-481). Frey, Alexandra (Basle) [German version] [2] C. of Antioch Mathematician A mathematician, who lived presumably in the 1st or 2nd cent. AD. Information on him is given in four fragments by Pappus (8,3), Proclus (in Euc…

(Μέντωρ; Méntōr). [German version] [1] Father of Imbrios of Pedaion Father of Imbrius of Pedaeum (Hom. Il. 13,171). Frey, Alexandra (Basle) [German version] [2] Son of Alkimos, companion of Odysseus M. of Ithaca, son of Alcimus (Hom. Od. 22,235), companion of Odysseus, who on his departure to Troy hands over to M. the supervision of his household (ibid. 2,225ff.). In the People's Assembly M. firmly opposes the behaviour of the suitors (ibid. 2,224ff.). The goddess Athena often takes on his form in order to help Telemachus wi…

[German version] (Ὤγυγος; Ṓgygos/Ὠγύγης; Ōgýgēs). The name O. is probably pre-Greek, and may derive from the Lydian-Carian migrations; at that time, O. was worshipped as a god. The Boeotian goddesses of oaths, the Praxidikai, were said to be his daughters (Paus. 9,33,5; Suda s.v. Πραξιδίκη; Steph. Byz. s.v. Τρεμίλη). Ancient king of Boeotia (the adjective ὠγύγιος/ ōgýgios is used for 'Boeotian' and 'ancient': Suda s.v. Ὠγύγια κακά; Ὠγύγιον); autochthon and king of the Ectenians (Paus. 9,5,1); son of Boeotus (schol. Eur. Phoen. 1113) and husband of Th…

[German version] (Καφένη; Kaphénē). Carian maiden, who, out of love for the Melian Nymphius betrays her people by divulging their plan to invite the Melians to a feast so as to kill them underhandedly. Instead, the Carians were slain. In return, C. becomes the wife of Nymphius (Plut. Mor. 246d-247a, 207f.; Polyaen. 8,46). Frey, Alexandra (Basle)

(Φείδιππος; Pheídippos). [German version] [1] Son of Thessalus, naval commander at Troy Son of Thessalus, brother of Antiphus, consequently grandson of  Heracles [1] and Chalciope [3] (Hyg. Fab. 97,14). One of Helen [1]'s suitors (Hyg. Fab. 81). He and his brother command 30 ships at Troy (Hom. Il. 2,676-680). On the voyage home he is blown off course to Thesprotia, where he also dies. In Odysseus's tall stories  (Hom. Od. 14,316; 19,287) the king Pheidon of the Thesproti appears twice. The latter's name is…

(Μεγαπένθης/ Megapénthēs, ‘very sorrowful’). [German version] [1] Son of King Proetus of Argos Son of King Proetus of Argos (Apollod. 2,29), father of Argeus and grandfather of Anaxagoras (Paus. 2,18,4) or father of Anaxagoras and Iphianira (Diod. Sic. 4,68,4; cf. also Iphianassa [1]). M. exchanged kingdoms with Perseus, so that he ruled over Argos and Perseus over Tiryns. According to Hyginus (Hyg. Fab. 244), he was said to have killed Perseus for the murder of his father. Frey, Alexandra (Basle) [German version] [2] Son of Menelaus [1] and a slave woman Son of Menelaus [1] and a sla…

[German version] (Ληλάντη; Lēlántē). Wife of the mythological Molossian king Munichus and mother of Alcander among others. When the god-fearing family is attacked by robbers and their house is set alight, they are transformed into birds by Zeus so they can be saved (Antoninus Liberalis 14). Frey, Alexandra (Basle)

(Νίκαια; Níkaia). [German version] [1] Naiad Naiad, daughter of the Phrygian river god Sangarius and the goddess Cybele. As a huntress, N. spurns love and remains a virgin. In Memnon of Heracleia, she does not yield to Dionysus and so he resorts to a ruse and turns into wine the spring from which N. is accustomed to drinking. She becomes drunk and falls asleep. Dionysus overpowers her in her sleep and fathers with her 'satyrs and others' (Memnon FGrH 434 F 41, 8f.). In Nonnus, Dion. 15,169-16,405, the…

[German version] (Λαογόρας; Laogóras). Dryopian king who by holding a banquet in the manner of his people in the grove of Apollo offends against the god. L. supports the Lapith prince Coronus in his attack on the Dorian king Aegimius [1]. The latter calls Hercules for help, who then kills L. and Coronus (Apollod. 2,154f.; Diod. Sic. 4,37,3). Frey, Alexandra (Basle)

(Μαίανδρος; Maíandros). [German version] [1] God of the homonymous river God of the homonymous river M. [2] that flows into the sea in the Bay of Miletus; son of Oceanus and Tethys (Hes. Theog. 339); furthermore, father of Samia and Cyane, who bears Miletus the twins Byblis and Caunus [1] (Ov. Met. 9,450ff.). The sons of M. are, among others, Calamus [1] (Nonnus, Dion. 11,464ff.) and Marsyas [1]. Frey, Alexandra (Basle) [German version] [2] River in south-western Asia Minor Longest river in south-western Asia Minor (modern Menderes), has its origin near Celaenae and after …

[German version] (Μέλης/ Mélēs, also Μέλητος/ Melētos). Athenian who, not returning the love of the metic Timagoras, drives him to suicide; after the latter's death, M. follows suit out of remorse: aition for the altar of Anterus, which the metoikoi erected in the city and venerated in memory of Anterus' having avenged Timagoras (Paus. 1,30,1). There is a similar story in Aelianus (fr. 72 Domingo-Forasté = Suda s.v. Μέλητος μ 497): M. and Timagoras are both Athenian citizens of noble family. M., who i…

[German version] (Κηρεβία; Kērebía). Wife of Poseidon, mother of  Dictys [1] and  Polydectes, who rules over the Cycladean island of Seriphus (schol. Lycoph. 838). But according to Hesiod (fr. 6 Rzach) and Apollodorus (1,88), Magnes and a Naead are the parents of both of them. Frey, Alexandra (Basle)

(Οἰχαλία; Oichalía). [German version] [1] Mythical place in Homer, Catalogue of the Pylians Mythical place in Homer, in the Catalogue of the Pylians (Hom. Il. 2,594ff.). According to the narrative context, O. must be located in north western Messenia. It was from O. that the Thracian singer Thamyris came to Dorium, where the Muses robbed him of his gift of song. Homer's interpreters equate O. with Andania (Str. 8,3,6; 8,4,5; Plin. HN 4,15; Paus. 4,2,2f.). Pherecydes (FGrH 3 F 82a) assumed that O. was 'somewh…

[German version] (Πειθαγόρας; Peithagóras). Soothsayer of Amphipolis (inspecting the entrails of sacrificed animals), brother of Apollodorus, one of the hetaíroi of Alexander [4] the Great; in 323 BC P. foretold the impending death of Hephaestion [1] (Arr. Anab. 7,18; App. Civ. 2,152) and later also that of Alexander (Arr. l.c.; App. l.c.). Alexander received this news from P.'s brother and praised both of them (Arr. l.c.). P. was obviously Aristobulus' [7] direct source (Arr. Anab. 7,18,5). Frey, Alexandra (Basle)

[German version] (Κάλυδνος; Kálydnos). Son of  Uranus, architect and first king of Thebes ( Thebae) which he fortifies with a wall. The city is therefore also called Kálydna or Kalýdnou týrsis, ‘fortress of C.’ (Steph. Byz. in schol. Lycophron 1209). The incorrect translation of C. as ‘good singer’ was linked with the building of the wall around Thebes through music. Frey, Alexandra (Basle)

[German version] (Κυτί(σ)σωρος; Kytí(s)sōros). C.'s parents are  Phrixus and Chalciope [2], a daughter of  Aeetes; grandson of  Athamas, king of the Minyae (Apoll. Rhod. 2,1148ff.; schol. Apoll. Rhod. 2,388; Apollod. 1,83), whom he rescues from being sacrificed when he returns from Aeetes to his homeland, Thessalian Achaea. Athamas was to have been sacrificed to  Zeus Laphystios as an act of atonement. C. having rescued his grandfather, the curse remains on his descendants (Hdt. 7,197). In Sophocles (schol. Aristoph. Nub. 257) it is Heracles who rescues Athamas. Frey, Alexandra …