Glaucus in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Glaucus

8 passages from 4 ancient authors that tell of Glaucus, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Glaucus was a mortal in Greek mythology, who became immortal by eating a magical herb and turned into a prophetic god of the sea. It is uncertain who... For the story in one place, read our article on Glaucus.

Apollonius Rhodius (1)

Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 1.1261–1362Heracles and Polyphemus are left behindHeracles searches wildly for Hylas, and at dawn Argo sails on without him and Polyphemus. Telamon accuses Jason of leaving Heracles behind on purpose, until the sea-god Glaucus rises from the waves and declares what Zeus has fated for Heracles and for Polyphemus. Telamon and Jason are reconciled.

Ovid (2)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 14.1–74Scylla and CirceGlaucus comes to the island of Circe and begs her for a charm to make Scylla love him. Circe, who loves him herself, tries to turn him from Scylla and, in jealousy, poisons the pool where Scylla bathes. Scylla finds her lower body changed into a ring of barking monsters, and in her hatred of Circe she robs Odysseus (Ulysses) of his men. She is at last changed into a rock that still frightens sailors.
Ovid, Metamorphoses 13.900–968GlaucusScylla returns to a lonely bay, where the sea god Glaucus appears and tells her how, once a fisherman, he laid his catch on a bank of grass, and the fish revived and plunged into the sea. He ate some of the grass himself and was seized by the same longing, and was received among the sea gods. He pleads for Scylla's love, but she flees, and Glaucus goes in anger to the court of Circe.

Pausanias (2)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 6.10.1–9Olympia: Glaucus of Carystus and the chariot of CleosthenesPausanias tells how the farm boy Glaucus of Carystus, urged on by his father with the words 'the one from the plough', won the boxing at Olympia, and gives his later victories and his burial on an island named after him. He then describes the statues of the Heraean armed runner Damaretus and his descendants, the trainer Iccus, and the chariot of Cleosthenes of Epidamnus, with the names of its horses and the first statue of a horse-breeder at Olympia. The section ends with further boys' victors from Heraea, Mantinea, Oresthasium and Elis.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 9.22.1–7Tanagra: Hermes the Ram-bearer and Champion, Corinna and the cocks; Anthedon and GlaucusPausanias describes the sanctuaries of Tanagra, including those of Hermes the Ram-bearer and Hermes the Champion and the separate placing of houses and sanctuaries. He tells of Corinna's tomb and her victory over Pindar, and of the two kinds of Tanagran cocks. He then describes Anthedon, with its sanctuary of the Cabiri, the graves of the sons of Aloeus and Glaucus' Leap, where a fisherman became a sea-demon.

Nonnus of Panopolis (3)

Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 39.0–129Book 39: The fleet arrives; Deriades and Dionysos address their menThe ships built by the Rhadamanes arrive, and Deriades, alarmed but defiant, calls up a fleet from his islands. He argues that Dionysos is no god, since a son of Zeus would not fight with leaves and fawnskin. Dionysos answers by naming his allies in the sea and among the winds, and tells his captains to attack before the Indians can use fire against the ships.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 43.0–142Book 43: The battle of sea and vine beginsAres and Hymenaios sound the call to war for Beroe's hand, while the maiden, silent, prefers Dionysos to a sea-god husband. Poseidon arms with his trident and Dionysos rides his mother Rheia's lion-drawn car wreathed in vine. Dionysos addresses his host and swears that Poseidon shall not harm Beroe's city.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 43.143–224Book 43: Poseidon's threats; the Tritons and Pan fight on the wavesPoseidon mocks Dionysos as a god who fled from Lycurgos and threatens to drown the Bacchants. He calls up his Tritons and yokes his sea-horses. Triton sounds the charge, Glaucos drives a team over the surface, and Pan skips on the water chasing the echo of his own pipes.