Melicertes in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Melicertes

20 passages from 5 ancient authors that tell of Melicertes, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Melicertes was the son of King Athamas of Boeotia and his second wife, Ino, in Greek mythology. He was the brother of Learchus. When he was young, the... For the story in one place, read our article on Melicertes.

Apollodorus (1)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 3.4.1–4Cadmus and the founding of ThebesAfter the death of Telephassa, Cadmus is told at Delphi to follow a cow and found a city where it lies down. He kills the dragon of Ares, sows its teeth to raise the Spartoi, serves Ares for a year, and marries Harmonia. Their daughters Autonoe, Ino, Semele and Agave are named; Semele is destroyed when she asks to see Zeus in his glory, Dionysus is born from Zeus's thigh, and Ino and Athamas rear him and are driven mad. The section ends with Actaeon, torn apart by his own dogs after seeing Artemis bathing.

Ovid (1)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 4.396–562The Minyades become bats; Athamas and InoThe daughters of Minyas, who have scorned Dionysus (Bacchus), find their looms turning to vines and ivy, and they are changed into bats. Hera (Juno), angry at the honour done to Semele's sister Ino, goes down to the Underworld and sends the Fury Tisiphone to the house of Athamas, who goes mad and kills his son Learchus. Ino leaps from a cliff with her other son Melicertes, and Aphrodite (Venus) asks Poseidon (Neptune) to make them sea-gods, and Ino's Theban companions are changed into rocks and birds.

Pausanias (4)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 1.44.1–10Megara to the Isthmus: Nisaea, Pagae and the Sciron roadPausanias notes the grave of Orsippus, the sanctuary of Tutelary Apollo, the old gymnasium and the port of Nisaea with the tomb of Lelex. He describes Pagae, with its Saviour Artemis and the shrine of Aegialeus, and Aegosthena, with the sanctuary of Melampus and the tomb of Autonoe. The Sciron road leads past the Molurian rock, with the story of Ino and Melicertes, the rocks of Sciron, the temple of Zeus the Hurler and the tomb of Eurystheus, to the border with Corinth.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 2.1.1–9Isthmus of Corinth: early Corinth, the robbers of Theseus and the temple of PoseidonPausanias opens the Corinthian book with the origins of Corinth, the Roman destruction by Mummius and the later refoundation. He notes Cromyon and the sow Phaea, the pine-tree and altar of Melicertes, and the robber Sinis killed by Theseus, and discusses attempts to cut through the Isthmus. He then describes the sanctuary of Poseidon, its theatre and stadium, the statue groups given by Herodes and the Nereids.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 2.2.1–8Corinth: Palaemon’s shrine, the ports, the tomb of Lais and the market-placeWithin the Isthmian precinct Pausanias describes the temple of Palaemon and the altar of the Cyclopes, and the conduct of the Isthmian games after Mummius. He then describes Lechaeum and Cenchreae with their sanctuaries and the bath of Helen, and on the road to Corinth the tomb of Diogenes and the Craneum, where the grave of Lais lies. In the market-place he lists images of Artemis, Dionysus and others, with the story of the images made from Pentheus’ tree.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 2.3.1–11Corinth: the agora, the spring Pirene and the children of MedeaPausanias continues through Corinth: the bronze Athena, the temple of Octavia, the portal with chariots of the Sun, and the spring Pirene with its link to Corinthian bronze. He lists images of Hermes, Poseidon and Palaemon, the baths and fountains, and the road to Sicyon with the Glauce basin and the tomb of Medea’s children. He recounts the varied stories of Medea, Jason and her children, drawn from the Naupactia, Eumelus and others.

Nonnus of Panopolis (13)

Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 10.0–138Book 10: Athamas' madness; Ino leaps into the seaAthamas, driven mad, flogs a she-goat for his wife, hunts his son Learchos as a stag and kills him, and boils Melicertes in a cauldron. Ino snatches the child and runs to the sea, calling on Zeus and Hermes. She leaps in and is received by Poseidon as Leucothea, and Semele mocks her from heaven.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 9.1–92Book 9: Hermes takes the infant Dionysos to InoZeus sews the unborn Dionysos into his thigh and brings him forth, and Hermes carries the baby away. Hermes first leaves him with the daughters of Lamos, whom Hera drives mad, and then brings him to Ino. He tells her to nurse the child and promises her a home in the sea.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 5.533–621Book 5: Autonoe's grief; Zeus desires PersephoneiaAutonoe gathers her son's bones and buries them. Agaue bears Pentheus, and Ino marries Athamas and bears Learchos and Melicertes. Zeus, who once begot Zagreus on Persephoneia in the shape of a dragon, watches her bathe and is caught by desire for her.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 9.93–168Book 9: Mystis and the Corybants nurse the childIno nurses the baby with her own son Melicertes and gives him to her maid Mystis, who invents the mystic rites of Dionysos. Hera finds him and swears to ruin Ino's house, but Hermes carries him to Rheia, taking the shape of Phanes to deceive her. The Corybants dance round the boy to hide his growing up.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 20.289–404Book 20: Dionysos flees into the sea; Nereus consoles him; Zeus rebukes LycurgosDionysos, deceived, goes unarmed to the palace of Lycurgos, who scorns him, beats the Bacchants with his poleaxe and drives them into the hills. Terrified by Hera's thunder, Dionysos flees into the Erythraian sea, where Thetis and Nereus receive and console him. Lycurgos rages at the water and calls for fishermen to haul the god out, and Zeus rebukes him from the sky, recalling how Teiresias was blinded for seeing Athena.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 21.90–177Book 21: Earthquake and madness in Arabia; Lycurgos is blindedPoseidon shakes Arabia with his trident, and Megaira drives the Nysian women to kill their children. Lycurgos, still bound, defies the gods and demands fire to burn the vines, until Hera cuts him free and Zeus makes him a blind wanderer, though the Arabs later worship him as a god. Under the sea the Nereids, Ino and Melicertes entertain Dionysos.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 21.178–239Book 21: Dionysos beneath the sea; a Satyr carries his message to DeriadesDionysos stays with Ino and Palaimon in the sea while his followers search for him in grief, until Scelmis brings the news that he is returning. A Satyr, disguised as a horned bull-man, brings the god's message to Deriades, who mocks the strange envoy. The message offers peace if the Indians accept the wine and honour the gods, and war if they refuse.
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 39.295–407Book 39: The sea-battle: arrows, the fire-ship and the Indian retreatArrows and spears fly across the water, and Dionysos wounds Morrheus, who has to withdraw. Zeus, Poseidon, Melicertes and the winds help the Bacchic side, and Eurymedon sets his own ship on fire and sends it among the enemy. The Indian fleet retreats to land, and Deriades flees.
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.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 43.225–306Book 43: Proteus, Nereus and the Rivers join the frayProteus, ringed by the Indian soldiers, changes into a panther, a tree, a serpent, a lion, a boar and water to slip their grasp. Nereus leads his daughters into the fight, sea creatures and the Nereids join, and the seas and straits roll against one another. The Rivers come to the aid of Dionysos while Melicertes thrusts at him with his trident.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 43.307–449Book 43: Zeus ends the battle; Poseidon weds Beroe; Eros consoles DionysosBassarids, Satyrs and Seilenoi fight the sea-gods, and Psamathe prays to Zeus to save the Nereids from Dionysos. Zeus grants Beroe to Poseidon and halts Dionysos with thunder. The sea-gods celebrate the wedding with rich gifts, and Poseidon gives her city victory at sea. Eros consoles Dionysos by promising him another bride, Aura of Phrygia, and Dionysos returns to Lydia, Rheia and then Europe.

Orpheus (attributed) (1)

Orpheus (attributed), Orphic Hymns 72–76Hymns 72-76: Fortune, the Daemon, Leucothea, Palaemon, the MusesFortune is asked to come with rich abundance, and the Daemon, or guardian genius, is invoked as a mighty, life-giving power called mild Jove. Leucothea, born of Cadmus and nurse of Bacchus, and Palaemon, who was nursed with Dionysius and dwells in the deep sea, are invoked as protectors of the initiated at sea. The group ends with the nine Muses, daughters of Jove, who are named one by one.