Alcathous in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Alcathous

7 passages from 4 ancient authors that tell of Alcathous, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. There are a number of figures in Greek mythology by the name of Alcathous. One of them was the son of Pelops, who killed the Cithaeronian lion. Anothe... For the story in one place, read our article on Alcathous.

Hesiod (1)

Hesiod, Fragments 2.1–3.16Marriage of Ceyx and the Great EoiaeThe Marriage of Ceyx has Heracles landing from the Argo to look for water and a feast with Ceyx. The Great Eoiae gives genealogies and local legends, among them Epidaurus, Hyettus and Mycene, and Melampus and the serpents.

Homer (2)

Homer, Iliad 13.328–454Idomeneus' onslaughtIdomeneus and Meriones go into the battle like fire on a mountain, and Idomeneus kills Othryoneus, who had sought Cassandra's hand, and then Asius. He kills Alcathous, a son-in-law of Anchises, and Deiphobus' spear, thrown at Idomeneus, misses him and kills Hypsenor. Idomeneus boasts over each of his victims and calls on Zeus.
Homer, Iliad 13.455–575Aeneas and Idomeneus; Deiphobus is woundedDeiphobus finds Aeneas, who is angry with Priam, and Aeneas stands against Idomeneus, who calls his comrades to him, and the two sides fight round the body. Idomeneus kills Oenomaus, and Deiphobus kills Ascalaphus, a son of Ares, while Meriones wounds Deiphobus in the arm and Polites leads him from the field. Aeneas kills Aphareus, Antilochus kills Thoon, and Adamas, who struck Antilochus' shield, is killed by Meriones.

Pausanias (3)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 1.42.1–7Megara: the Alcathoan acropolis, the singing stone and Memnon’s ColossusPausanias describes the acropolis named after Alcathous, with the tomb of Megareus, the hearth of the Prodomeis and the stone that sounds like a lyre. He compares it with the Colossus of Memnon at Egyptian Thebes, which sounds at sunrise. He also notes the Council House, temples of Athena and Apollo, the ebony statues, the sanctuary of Lawgiver Demeter, the tomb of Callipolis and the shrine of Ino.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 1.41.1–9Megara: tomb of Alcmena, the lion of Cithaeron and the tomb of TereusPausanias describes the tomb of Alcmena, the altar of Achelous, the tomb of Hyllus, and the temple of Apollo and Artemis built by Alcathous after he killed the lion of Cithaeron. He criticises the Megarian version of the story, arguing that Alcathous came after the fall of Megara in Nisus’ reign. He then lists the shrine of Pandion, the tomb of the Amazon Hippolyte and the barrow of Tereus, whom he places at Daulis rather than Megara.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 1.43.1–8Megara: shrines of heroes, the Aesymnium, Dionysus and Aphrodite, and the grave of CoroebusPausanias lists Megarian shrines and tombs: Iphigenia, Adrastus, Artemis, the Prytaneum burials, the rock Anaclethra, the Aesymnium Council House and the tombs of Pyrgo and Iphinoe. He describes the sanctuary of Dionysus and the temples of Aphrodite and Fortune with works by Praxiteles, Scopas and Lysippus, and tells the story of Coroebus, who killed Punishment sent by Apollo and founded Tripodisci.

Quintus Smyrnaeus (1)

Quintus Smyrnaeus, The Fall of Troy (Posthomerica) 3.96–211Hera rebukes Apollo; Achilles fallsHera rebukes Apollo for killing Achilles, reminding him that he sang at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, and Apollo sits silent and ashamed. The dying Achilles still kills Orythaon, Hipponous and Alcathous, and his last shout sends the Trojans reeling before he falls. Paris then urges the Trojans to drag the body to Troy behind Hector's horses.