The Library of Greek Mythology (Oxford World's Classics) (46 page)

Ithaca, he plundered. . . cattle
: not realizing that he was in his father’s kingdom; according to Hyg. 127, he was carried there by a storm, and was driven by hunger to ravage the land.

from a stingray
: added by Bucheler after
kentron
, translated as needle; this weapon (which was made by Hephaistos, sc.
Od
. 11. 134) was given to Telegonos by Circe (see Oppian
On Fishing 2
. 497 ff.).

Telegonos. . . married Penelope
: the
Telegonia
concluded with a double marriage (Procl.) because he also took Odysseus’ son Telemachos to Circe’s island, and Telemachos married Circe! The departure of Telegonos and Penelope to the Isles of the Blessed is otherwise unattested, but the
Telegonia
is the most likely source.

seduced by Antinoos
: the leader of the suitors in the
Odyssey
(where Penelope is a model of wifely fidelity).

gave birth to Pan, as a son of Hermes
: see P. 8. 12. 6 for the local Mantineian tradition that Penelope died there. Pan was particularly associated with the wild country of Arcadia, where his cult originated. Herodotus (2. 145) talks as if the present account of his birth was generally accepted amongst the Greeks, but there were many others; he was often said to have been a son of Hermes by other mothers, and there was even a bizarre tradition that Penelope bore him to the suitors, causing Odysseus to leave home again in disgust (Servius on
Aen
. 2. 44). See also p. 31.

Amphinomos
: in the
Odyssey
(16. 397 f.) he is cleverer and more gentlemanly than the other suitors, and thus earns a measure of approval from Penelope; doubtless conclusions were drawn from that.

as his judge Neoptolemos
: cf. Plut.
Greek Questions
14 (where Odysseus departs to Italy).

Thoas
: leader of the Aetolians in the Trojan War, p. 148, see
Il
. 2. 638 ff, and 13. 216 ff.; the name of his daughter is unknown.

F
ROM
the classical period onwards it was commonly accepted that there were twelve principal deities. This idea, which developed from cultic rather than strictly mythological considerations, originated in the Greek colonies of Asia Minor, but by the fifth century
BC
altars had been dedicated to the Twelve Gods at Athens and Olympia. Athough there is some variation in surviving lists, the standard list in later times was: Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Hestia, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaistos, Athene, Artemis, Apollo, and Hermes. Here we will exclude Hestia (who is of some significance cultically as goddess of the hearth, but has virtually no mythology because she never leaves home), and include Dionysos in her place. The group then includes all the Olympian deities who are most important in mythology and appear most frequently in the present work. At Rome, most were identified with local deities; the names of these are given in brackets.

Aphrodite
(Venus). Birth, 29; incites love in Cleio, 30, in Dawn, 32; afflicts the Lemnian women, 50; transfers Boutes to Sicily, 55; mother of Harmonia, 101; gives golden apples to suitor of Atalante, 117; love for Anchises, 123, for Adonis, 30, 131–2; punishes daughters of Cinyras, 131; selected by Paris in judgement of goddesses, 146; saves him from Menelaos, but is wounded by Diomedes, 207.

Apollo
. Birth, and arrival at Delphi, 31–2; kills Tityos and Marsyas, 32, the Giant Ephialtes, 34, the Cyclopes, 119; recovers his stolen cattle from the infant Hermes, and is given a lyre, 118; Zeus assumes his form, 115.

Grants divinatory powers to Melampous, 46, to Cassandra, 125; serves and helps Admetos, 48, 120; helps Argonauts, 55–6; arms Heracles, 72, meets him after he has caught the Cerynitian hind, 75, fights him for the tripod at Delphi, 85; fortifies Troy for Laomedon, but sends plague when denied fee, 79; shoots sons of Niobe, 105; his part in death of Achilles, 151–4, Neoptolemos seeks reparation, 160.

Loves Hyacinthos, 30, 119, Coronis, mother of Asclepios, 119; rejected by Marpessa, 39, Cassandra, 125; his children, Linos and the Corybantes, 30, Doros, Laodocos, Polypoites, 39, Miletos, 97, Eleuther, 117, Asclepios, 119, Troilos, 125, Anios, 148, Tenes, 150, Mopsos, 158.

Oracles of, 112, 114, 150; sends sign before fall of Troy, 157; sacrifices to, 149, 151; sanctuary of, 90; Manto dedicated to, 112; Zeus assumes his form, 115.

Ares
(Mars). Birth, 29; slept with Dawn, 32; enclosed in jar by Aloads, 38; conflict with Heracles over son Cycnos, 82, 90; spring and dragon of, at Thebes, and death of dragon at hand of Cadmos, 100; Menoitios sacrifices himself to, 110; tried on the Areiopagos for murder, 131; gave arms and horses to Oinomaos, 144.

Father of Oxylos, 39, sons by Demonice, 39, Meleager, Dryas, 40, Ascalaphos and Ialmenos, 50, 121, Diomedes of Thrace, 78, Cycnos, 82, 90, Harmonia, 101, Phlegyas, 104, Parthenopaios, 117, Alcippe, 130, Tereus, 132, Penthesileia, 154.

Grove of, at Colchis, 43; belt of, owned by queen of Amazons, 78.

Artemis
(Diana). Birth, 31; shoots Tityos, 32; kills Orion, 32, a Giant, 35, the daughters of Niobe, 105, Callisto, 115; causes death of the Aloads, 38, Actaion, 102, Adonis, 131, Broteas, 143; angry with Oineus, and sends the Calydonian boar, 40, with Admetos, 48, with Heracles for catching hind sacred to her, 74–5, with Agamemnon, and causes sacrifice of his daughter Iphigeneia, but rescues her, 150; Atreus fails to honour vow to, 145, 150; makes Phylonoe immortal, 120.

Athene
(Athenaia or Athenaie, contracted to Athene, or to Athena in fourth century Attic and later usage; at Rome identfied with Minerva). Birth, 31; discards flute, 32; and Giants, 34–5, 87; reared by Triton, and conflict with Pallas, 123–4; wins contest with Poseidon for Athens, 140; amongst the goddesses judged by Paris, 146.

Advises on the
Argo
, 49, on the ship of Danaos, 60; helps Perseus, 65–7; gifts and aid to Heracles, 72, 77, 78; returns apples of the Hesperides, 83; advises Cadmos, and confers kingdom on him, 100; gives Gorgon’s blood to Asclepios, 119, dragon’s teeth to Aietes, 53; involvement with the birth and rearing of Erichthonios, 132; purifies the Danaids, 62; blinds Teiresias, but grants him divinatory powers, 110; plans to make Tydeus immortal, but is deterred, 111; drives Aias mad, 155; angry with Locrian Aias and Greeks after her statue is defiled, asks Zeus to send storm, 158–9, propitiated by Locrians, 162.

Images of, 60, 158; sanctuary of, 88, 116, 132, 133; priesthood of, 134; wooden horse dedicated to, 156.

Demeter
(Ceres). Swallowed by her father Cronos, 28; seeks for her daughter Persephone, received at Eleusis, 33, confers wheat, 33, 133; punishes Ascalaphos, 33, 84; bears horse Areion to Poseidon, 111; Iasion wants to violate her, 122–3; statue of her in Egypt as Isis, 60.

Dionysos
. Birth and earlier life, 101–3; punishes Lycourgos, 102, Pentheus, 103, for rejecting him; transforms pirates, 103; drives mad the women of Argos, 47, daughters of Proitos, 63; gives vine to Oineus, 40, wine to Icarios in Attica, 133; grants powers to daughters of Anios, 148; father of Deianeira, 40, love for Ariadne and children by her, 140; brings mother up from Hades and ascends to heaven, 103.

Hephaistos
(Vulcan). Birth, 30; thrown from heaven, 31; and birth of Athene, 31; his forge on Lemnos, 32; kills a Giant, 34; nails Prometheus to Caucasos, 36; gives bronze-footed bulls to Aietes, 53, Talos to Minos, 56, a breastplate to Heracles, 72; makes castanets used by Heracles, 77, necklace for Harmonia, 101, armour for Achilles, 154; builds underground house for Oinopion, 32; looks after cattle for Heracles, 81; purifies Pelops, 144; dries up Scamander, 154; tries to violate Athene and becomes father of Erichthonios, 132; father of Palaimon, 49, Periphetes, 138.

Hera
(Juno). Swallowed by her father Cronos, 28; marriage to Zeus, and their children, 29, given golden apples as wedding present, 81; suspended from Olympos, 31, 86; assaulted by Giant, 34; wins contest with Poseidon for Argos, 60; amongst the goddesses judged by Paris, 146; Thetis reared by, 128.

Behaviour to women loved by Zeus and their children: pursues Leto, 31; tethers Io as cow, sends gadfly after her, 59, asks Curetes to abduct her child, 59; delays birth of Heracles, 68, sends serpents against him, 70, a storm, 31, 86, drives him mad, 72, hinders him by inciting Amazons, 79, and dispersing cattle, 81, finally reconciled with him, 91; deceives Semele, 101, drives Dionysos mad, 102, and Athamas and Ino for looking after him, 43, 101; causes death of Callisto, 115.

Throws Orion’s wife into Hades, 32; acts against Pelias for failing to honour her, 45, 46; helps Argonauts past Clashing Rocks, 53, Wandering Rocks, 55; sends daughters of Proitos mad, 63; sends Sphinx against Thebes, 106; blinds Teiresias, 110; assaulted by Ixion, 142; sends storm against Paris and Helen, 147; makes Menelaos immortal, 164.

Sacrifices to, 81; altar of, 57, 146; Ceux says his wife is Hera, 38.

Hermes
(Mercury). Birth and exploits as an infant, 117–18; kills Giant, 35; recovers Zeus’ tendons after they are removed by Typhon, 36; rescues Ares, 38; gives golden-fleeced ram to Nephele, 43; steals Io as cow and kills Argos, 59; purifies Danaids, 62; aids Perseus, 65–6; gives Heracles sword, 72, advises him in Hades, 84, sells him, 85; rapes Apemosyne, 98; gives moly to Odysseus, 167.

Appointed herald to the gods, 118, sent to Deucalion, 37, takes infant Dionysos to Ino and Athamas, 102, sent to Atreus, 145, takes goddesses to be judged by Paris, 146, Helen to Egypt, 147, Prote-silaos up from Hades, 152.

Father of Eurytos, 49, Abderos, 78, Cephalos, 131, Myrtilos, 144, Pan, 170.

Poseidon
(Neptune). Swallowed by Cronos, 28; given trident, and becomes ruler of the sea, 29; marriage and children, 33; fights Giant,
35; loses contest with Hera for Argos, 60, with Athene for Attica, 130; contends with Zeus for Thetis, 128; indicts Ares for murder, 131; fathers horse Areion by Demeter, 111.

Makes shelter for Oinopion, 32; gives a chariot to Idas, 39, powers of transformation to Periclymenos, 45; blinds Phineus, 52; sends flood and monster against Ethiopia, 66; makes Pterelaos immortal, 68; hides away Centaurs, 75; sends bull from sea to Minos, 77, against Hippolytos, 142; fortifies Troy, but sends sea-monster when denied fee, 79; gives Peleus immortal horses, 129; rescues Eumolpos, destroys Erechtheus and house, 135; makes Caineus invulnerable, 142; kills Locrian Aias, 159; angry with Odysseus for blinding Polyphemos, 165, sends storm against him, and petrifies Phaeacian ship, 168, propitiated, 170.

His children, Orion, 32, the Aloads, 38, by Tyro, 45, Phineus, 52, Belos and Agenor, 60, 96, Nauplios by Amymone, 61–2, Pegasos, 64, Chrysaor, 66, the Molionides, 87, by Atlantids, 117, Halirrhothios, killed by Ares, 130–1, Eumolpos, 135, Theseus, 136, Polyphemos, 165, others, 38, 50, 51, 68, 76, 80, 82, 86, 96, 110, 139; loves Pelops, gives him winged chariot, 144.

Sacrifice to, 49; sanctuary of 72; cult of Poseidon Erechtheus, 134,
Argo
dedicated to, 57.

Zeus
(Jupiter). Birth, childhood, and ascent to power, 28; marriage to Hera, and children by her and others, 29–31; father of Dionysos by Semele, 101, of Hermes by Maia, 117; aids abduction of Persephone, 33; defeat of Giants, 34–5, of Typhon, 35–6; punishes Prometheus, 36, his release, 75, 83; separates Apollo and Idas, 39, Apollo and Heracles, 85, Athene and Poseidon, 130; places aegis between Pallas and Athene, 124; gives remedy to Athene, 111; adjudicates between Hermes and Apollo, 118; imposes servitude on Apollo, 119; contends with Poseidon for Thetis, 128; judges dispute between goddesses over Adonis, 131; causes oaths to be sworn by Styx, 29.

Transforms Ceux and Alcyone, 38, vixen and dog, 70, Nysian nymphs, 102, Niobe, 105; destroys Salmoneus, 45, Capaneus, 110, Lycaon and sons, 115, Asclepios, 119, companions of Odysseus, 168, causes death of Actaion, 102; punishes Sisyphos, 44, Ixion, 142; sends great flood, 37; grants Endymion unending sleep, 38–9; incites Oineus to passion for own daughter, 42; angry with Argonauts for murder of Apsyrtos, 54–5; orders purification of Danaids, 62; saves Heracles, 87; grants long life to Sarpedon, 97; gives Harmonia to Cadmos, 101, sends them to Elysium, 103; gives prophetic powers to Teiresias, 110; opens chasm for Amphiaraos, 111; helps Callirrhoe, 113; determines posthumous fate of Dioscuri, 122; abduction of Ganymede, 79, 123; grants Minos vengeance on Athenians, 137;
supports Atreus in claim to throne, 145; brings about the Trojan War, 146, reveals its duration, 149; has Helen sent to Egypt, 147; sends storm against Greeks, 159; made Aiolos controller of the winds, 166.

Loves Niobe, 58, Io, 59, Danae, 65, Alcmene, 70, Europa, 77, Semele, 101, Antiope, 104, Callirrhoe, 113, Callisto, 115, Maia, 117, Leda, Nemesis, 120, Aegina, 126; his mortal children, Aethlios, 37, Aiacos, 126, Amphion, 104, 117, Areas, 115, Argos, 58, Asopos, 126, Atymnios, 97, Castor?, 44 cf. 120, Dardanos, 122, Epaphos, 59, Helen, 120, Hellen, 37, Heracles, 70, Iasion, 122, Lacedaimon, 118, Minos, Rhadamanthys, Sarpedon 96, Perseus, 65, Polydeuces, 120, Tityos, 31, Zethos, 104, 117.

Altars to, 90, 98; sacrifices to, 43, 82; sanctuary of, 117.

Asses
, companions of Odysseus turned into, 166.

Bear
, Callisto turned into, 115; Atalante, 116, Paris suckled by, 125; Achilles fed on the marrow of bears, 129.

Bee
, Periclymenos turns himself into, 45.

Birds
, Melampous, 46, Teiresias, 110, come to understand their language; Stymphalian, killed by Heracles, 77; women mourning Meleager turned into, 41 (meleagrides, guinea-fowl, in other sources), and Aisacos mourning his wife, 124 (a diver, in the Latin tradition).

Bitch
, Hecuba turned into, 158.

Boar
, Calydonian, sent by Artemis, 40–1, further references to the hunt for it, 86, 116, 127, image on Tydeus’ shield (which can be taken to be of Calydonian boar), 107; Erymanthian, caught by Heracles, 75–6; Adonis killed by a, 132; suitors of Alcestis to yoke a boar to a lion, 107.