Idas

Idas was a hero of Messene, the son of Aphareus and Arene and the brother of Lynceus. He is known for carrying off Marpessa from Apollo, for sailing with the Argonauts and joining the Calydonian boar hunt, and for his fatal quarrel with the Dioscuri, Castor and Pollux, in which he was killed by Zeus.

Family

Idas was the son of Aphareus and Arene, the daughter of Oebalus, and his brothers were Lynceus and Pisus. In another version, many say that Idas was really the son of Poseidon, who had lain with Arene (Apollodorus, Library 3.10.3). Homer calls Idas the mightiest of the men then living on the earth (Homer, Iliad 9.558), and Apollonius describes him and Lynceus as proud and exulting in their great strength (Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica 1.151–153). His brother Lynceus was famous for his sharp sight.

Idas and Marpessa

Marpessa was the daughter of Evenus, and Apollo wooed her. Idas carried her off in a winged chariot that he had received from Poseidon (Apollodorus, Library 1.7.8). Evenus pursued them as far as the river Lycormas, killed his horses when he could not catch up, and threw himself into the river, which was named Evenus after him. When Idas came to Messene, Apollo met him and would have taken the girl from him. The two fought for her, and Zeus parted them and let Marpessa choose which of the two she would marry. She chose Idas because she feared that Apollo would desert her when she grew old (Apollodorus, Library 1.7.8–9). Homer says that Idas took up his bow against King Apollo for the sake of Marpessa. Their daughter was Cleopatra, the wife of Meleager; her parents also called her Alcyone, because her mother had wept like the halcyon bird when Apollo carried her off (Homer, Iliad 9.556–564).

The Argonauts and the Calydonian Boar

Idas and Lynceus were among the Argonauts who sailed with Jason for the Golden Fleece (Apollodorus, Library 1.9.16; Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica 1.151–155). In Apollonius, Idas speaks out sharply when he sees Jason brooding and tells him to put fear aside (Argonautica 1.462–466). Idas and Lynceus are also among the heroes who joined Meleager in the hunt for the Calydonian boar (Apollodorus, Library 1.8.2).

The Feud with the Dioscuri

Idas and Lynceus were betrothed to Phoebe and Hilaira, the daughters of their uncle Leucippus, and Castor and Pollux, who were their cousins, carried the girls off (Hyginus, Fabulae 80; Apollodorus, Library 3.11.2). In Hyginus the two sets of brothers fought over this: Castor killed Lynceus, Idas was mourning his brother and burying him when Castor tried to stop the monument, and Idas stabbed Castor with his sword. Pollux then defeated Idas in battle (Hyginus, Fabulae 80).

Apollodorus gives a different cause. The four had driven off cattle together from Arcadia, and Idas was allowed to divide the spoil. He cut a cow into four parts and said that the half of the booty would go to whoever ate his share first, and the rest to whoever ate second. Idas swallowed his own share first and his brother’s too, and drove the cattle to Messene. The Dioscuri took back the cattle and a great deal besides and lay in wait for Idas and Lynceus. Lynceus saw Castor hiding and told Idas, who killed Castor. Pollux chased the brothers and killed Lynceus with a spear, but Idas struck him on the head with a stone and knocked him down. Zeus then struck Idas with a thunderbolt and took Pollux up to heaven (Apollodorus, Library 3.11.2).

Pindar tells the same fight with Idas angry about his oxen. Idas struck Castor with a bronze spear after Lynceus had spotted the brothers hidden in a hollow oak from his watch on Taygetus. The sons of Aphareus then hurled a gravestone at Pollux, who drove his spear into Lynceus’ side, and Zeus hurled a thunderbolt at Idas (Pindar, Nemean 10).

Idas Sources

Homer, Iliad 9.556–564; Apollodorus, Library 1.7.8–9, 1.8.2, 1.9.16, 3.10.3, 3.11.2; Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica 1.151–155, 1.462–466; Pindar, Nemean 10; Hyginus, Fabulae 80.

See Also: Dioscuri, Idas and Marpessa, Argonauts, Jason, Lynceus, Apollo, Poseidon