Lynceus of Messene

The Dioscuri, Idas and Lynceus take the cattle, metope of the Treasury of Sicyon at Delphi, ca 560 BC.

In Greek mythology, Lynceus (/ˈlɪnsiːəs, -sjuːs/; Ancient Greek: Λυγκεύς, romanized: Lunkeús, lit. 'lynx-like') is a Messenian prince and one of the Argonauts[1][2][3] who served as a lookout on the Argo.[4] He also participated in the hunt for the Calydonian boar.[5]

Family

Lynceus was a son of Aphareus and Arene[1][2][6] or Polydora or Laocoosa,[7] and thus brother to Idas and Peisus.

Mythology

Lynceus was the murderer of Castor, along with his brother, Idas. He helped Idas to spot and kill Castor, and was in turn killed by Pollux, but first managed to wound Pollux with a thrown rock.[8] Idas and Lynceus murdered Castor because he and his brother Pollux had kidnapped and married Phoebe and Hilaeira, the daughters of Leucippus, who were betrothed to Lynceus and Idas[4] or possibly their relatives.[6]

Lynceus was said to have excellent sight; enabling him to see through walls, trees, skin[9] and the ground.[1][6] This ability had been compared to the real technique of x-ray photography and to Superman's x-ray vision.[10][11] According to some versions he was also able to see in the dark; in others his reputation for being able to see through the ground was simply a rumor that resulted from his knowledge of geology and gold-mining.[4]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica 1.151-155
  2. ^ a b Ovid, Metamorphoses VIII, 304
  3. ^ Bibliotheca I, ix, 16
  4. ^ a b c Hyginus, Fabulae XIV
  5. ^ Bibliotheca I, viii, 2
  6. ^ a b c Bibliotheca III, x, 3
  7. ^ Scholia on Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica, 1. 152, with a reference to Peisander for Polydora and to Theocritus for Laocoosa, see Theocritus, Idyll 22. 206
  8. ^ Bibliotheca III, xi, 2.
  9. ^ Iamblichus, Exhortation to Philosophy
  10. ^ Piero Formica (12 August 2013). Stories of Innovation for the Millennial Generation: The Lynceus Long View. p. 8. ISBN 9781137347312.
  11. ^ James Diggle (17 March 1994). Cambridge Orations 1982-1993: A Selection. p. 85. ISBN 9780521466189.

References

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Gaius Julius Hyginus, Fabulae 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.
  • 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.


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