| Phorbas | |
|---|---|
Prince of Thessaly | |
| Member of the Thessalian Royal Family | |
| Other names | Phorbaceus |
| Abode | Thessaly |
| Personal information | |
| Parents | Triopas and Hiscilla |
| Siblings | Erysichthon and Iphimedeia |
| Consort | unknown |
| Children | ?Pellen |
In Greek mythology, Phorbas (Ancient Greek: Φόρβας, gen. Φόρβαντος) or Phorbaceus was a Thessalian prince and hero of the island of Rhodes. He was sometimes confounded with the Phlegyan Phorbas.[1]
Family
Phorbas was the son of Triopas[2] and Hiscilla, daughter of Myrmidon,[3] and thus brother to Erysichthon[4] and Iphimedia, mother of the Aloads.[5] He was probably the Phorbas who was identified as the father of Pelles,[6] founder of Achaean Pellene, who fathered Hyperasius, father of the Argonauts Amphion and Asterius.[7]
Mythology
When the people of the island of Rhodes fell victim to a plague of masses of serpents (may have been dragons or simply snakes), an oracle directed them to call on a man named Phorbas. Phorbas cleansed the island of the snakes and in gratitude the Rhodians venerated him as a hero. For his achievement he won a place among the stars as the constellation Serpentarius or Ophiuchus.[3]
According to an early account, before his departure, Phorbas was a rival in love of the god Apollo.[2] In a later account he was portrayed as Apollo's lover, consequently dying.[8]
Notes
- ↑ Diodorus Siculus, 5.58.5
- 1 2 Homeric Hymns to Apollo 211
- 1 2 Hyginus, De Astronomica 2.14.5
- ↑ Hellanicus, fr. 122 (Fowler 2013, p. 158); Callimachus, Hymn to Demeter 6.31–32 & 96-100; Ovid, Metamorphoses 8.754; Scholia on Lycophron, 1393
- ↑ Apollodorus, 1.7.4
- ↑ Pausanias, 7.26.12
- ↑ Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica 1.176
- ↑ Plutarch, Numa 4.5; Hyginus, De Astronomica 2.14.5
References
- Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica translated by Robert Cooper Seaton (1853-1915), R. C. Loeb Classical Library Volume 001. London, William Heinemann Ltd, 1912. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
- Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica. George W. Mooney. London. Longmans, Green. 1912. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
- Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History translated by Charles Henry Oldfather. Twelve volumes. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. 1989. Vol. 3. Books 4.59–8. Online version at Bill Thayer's Web Site
- Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica. Vol 1-2. Immanel Bekker. Ludwig Dindorf. Friedrich Vogel. in aedibus B. G. Teubneri. Leipzig. 1888-1890. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
- Gaius Julius Hyginus, Astronomica from The Myths of Hyginus translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
- Pausanias, Description of Greece with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A., in 4 Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918. ISBN 0-674-99328-4. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library Pausanias, Graeciae Descriptio. 3 vols. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
- Pseudo-Apollodorus, The Library with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. ISBN 0-674-99135-4. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website.
- Publius Ovidius Naso, Metamorphoses translated by Brookes More (1859-1942). Boston, Cornhill Publishing Co. 1922. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
- Publius Ovidius Naso, Metamorphoses. Hugo Magnus. Gotha (Germany). Friedr. Andr. Perthes. 1892. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
- The Homeric Hymns and Homerica with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White. Homeric Hymns. Cambridge, MA.,Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website.