Telchines in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Telchines

7 passages from 3 ancient authors that tell of Telchines, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. The Telchines were the original inhabitants of the island of Rhodes, in Greek mythology. They were the children of the Titans Pontus and Gaea; or Pont... For the story in one place, read our article on Telchines.

Diodorus Siculus (1)

Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 5.55.1–5.59.6Rhodes: the Telchines, the Heliadae and later settlersThe Telchines first lived on Rhodes, followed by the children of Helius and Rhodos, the Heliadae, who are famed for their learning and for their sacrifice without fire. The historian tells of the killing of Tenages and Danaüs's visit to Lindus, and of the later settlers Phorbas, Althaemenes and Tlepolemus.

Nonnus of Panopolis (3)

Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 14.0–104Book 14: Rheia arms the gods; Cabeiroi, Telchines, Cyclopes and PansRheia summons all the gods and nature spirits. The Cabeiroi, the Cretan Corybants, the Telchines of Rhodes, the Centaurs and the Cyclopes come to join Dionysos, though Polyphemos stays behind for love of Galateia. The twelve horned Pans are named, and old Seilenos arrives with his three sons.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 27.75–143Book 27: Deriades' threats; the Indians march outDeriades goes on to threaten Aiacos, the Cyclopes, the Telchines and Erechtheus, and imagines forging his own thunderbolts. He tells his men to cut down the Bassarids while he and Morrheus deal with Dionysos and Aristaios, and the Indians march out on elephants, horses and foot.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 30.160–242Book 30: Tectaphos' daughter laments; Morrheus' slaughter; Dionysos retreatsTectaphos' daughter laments over his body from the city wall. Morrheus kills many Bacchants, among them Alcimacheia, who had dared to beat Hera's statue, and the maiden Codone, and the Telchines join the battle against the Indians. Hera makes Deriades blaze with fire, and Dionysos, dismayed, retreats.

Strabo (3)

Strabo, Geography 14.2.5–13Rhodes: city, Colossus and TelchinesStrabo praises the city of Rhodes, its sea power, its laws and care for the poor, and describes the fallen Colossus of the Sun and the paintings of Protogenes. He discusses Homer's account of Tlepolemus founding the island, the Telchines who first lived there, and the Heliadae. The Rhodians' early voyages and colonies, the three old cities Lindus, Ialysus and Cameirus, the rain of gold at the birth of Athena (Minerva) and Rhodian scholars are also covered.
Strabo, Geography 10.3.7–8The Curetes as divine attendantsStrabo introduces the Curetes of Crete and Phrygia, who resemble satyrs and silenes, and treats them as attendants in the rites of Zeus (Jupiter) and of the mother of the gods. He lists the Corybantes, Cabeiri, Idaean Dactyli and Telchines, linked to armed dances with cymbals, drums and pipes. He then offers several derivations of the name Curetes, from long robes, hair and young soldiers.
Strabo, Geography 10.3.19–23Corybantes, Cabeiri and Idaean DactylsStrabo gathers the competing genealogies of the Curetes, Corybantes, Telchines, Cabeiri and Idaean Dactyls, citing Hesiod, Pherecydes, Acusilaus, Sophocles and Demetrius of Scepsis. He tells of Rhea bringing guardians to Crete to nurse Zeus (Jupiter), of the Cabeiri in Samothrace, Lemnos and Imbros, and of the Dactyls as the first workers of iron on Ida. He ends by defending his long digression on fables as part of the study of the gods.