Antaeus in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Antaeus

5 passages from 4 ancient authors that tell of Antaeus, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Antaeus was the son of the gods Poseidon and Gaea, one of the Gigantes, in Greek mythology. He drew strength from his mother, earth, and was invincibl... For the story in one place, read our article on Antaeus.

Pindar (2)

Pindar, Pythian Odes 9.1–125Pythian 9: for Telesicrates — Cyrene and ApolloPindar praises Telesicrates of Cyrene, victor in the race in armour, and tells how Apollo fell in love with the nymph Cyrene, daughter of Hypseus, who wrestled with lions, and asked Cheiron whether he might take her. Cheiron foretells that Apollo will bring her to Libya, where she will bear Aristaeus, whom Hermes will entrust to Gaia and the Horae. The ode ends with the victories of Telesicrates' family and the stories of Danaüs, who married off his daughters by a race, and of the Libyan bride, the daughter of Antaeus, won in a race.
Pindar, Isthmian Odes 3.1–4.72Isthmians 3-4: for Melissus — Ajax and Heracles against AntaeusIsthmian 3 praises Melissus of Thebes, victor in the chariot race, and says that the gods alone are free from change. Isthmian 4 praises his pancratium victory at the Isthmus, recalls Ajax who fell on his own sword at Troy, and tells how the Theban hero Heracles, small of stature but unflinching, went to the land of Antaeus in Libya to put a stop to his murders. It ends with the trainer Orseas, whose name Pindar joins with that of the victor.

Diodorus Siculus (1)

Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 4.17.1–4.21.7Heracles and the cattle of GeryonesFor his tenth labour Heracles gathers an army and sails from Crete, which he first clears of wild beasts. In Libya he kills Antaeus, in Egypt Busiris, and he sets up the Pillars at the western ocean. He then crosses Celtica, where he founds Alesia, and the Alps, passes the Ligurians, and camps on the Tiber where Rome later stands.

Plutarch (1)

Plutarch, Life of Sertorius 7.1–9.5Sertorius in Africa, the Islands of the Blest and the tomb of AntaeusAnnius, sent by Sulla, drives Sertorius out of Spain after Julius is treacherously killed, and Sertorius is battered by storms at sea. Sailors tell him of the Atlantic Islands, which even the Barbarians believe to be the Elysian Field of Homer, and he longs to live there. In Africa he defeats Ascalis, kills Paccianus and takes Tingis, where he opens the tomb of Antaeus, and Plutarch relates the Tingis myth of Tinga, Heracles and Sophax.

Strabo (1)

Strabo, Geography 17.3.4–8Mauretania: land, peoples and kingsStrabo describes the fertile land of Mauretania, its great trees, huge plants and wild animals, including the apes seen by Poseidonius, and the western Ethiopians with Iphicrates's elephant tales. He follows the coast from Lixus by Tingis and the Seven Brothers to the river Molochath, and describes the nomadic Mauretanians' dress, horses and weapons. Some say they are Indians who came with Heracles (Hercules), and the kings Bogus, Bocchus and Juba are mentioned. Artemidorus and Gabinius are criticised for their fables, including the tomb of Antaeus at Lynx.