Lycaon

Family: mythological · Role: father of Callisto · First appears: Book 1 · Chapter 25

In Book 1, Callisto is identified as Lycaon’s daughter. By Book 8, Lycaon is described as the son of Pelasgus, and as having founded Lycosura on Mount Lycæus, where he named Zeus Lycæus and established the Lycæa festival. He also sacrificed a baby to Lycæan Zeus; the account says that “directly after this sacrifice he became a wolf instead of a man.”

In Book 8, Chapter 3, his eldest son Nyctimus succeeded him and inherited his power. Lycaon’s sons founded Tricoloni, and Acacus is said to have nursed Hermes when Hermes was brought up at Acacesium. The account names many other sons as founders of towns, including Pallas, Orestheus, Phigalus, Trapezeus, Daseatas, Macareus, Helisson, Thocnus, Orchomenus, Hypsus, Mænalus, Tegeates, Mantineus, Heræus, Alipherus, Melæneus, Thyræus, and Hæmon; Œnotrus is identified as the youngest. Book 8 also says Nonacris took its name from Lycaon’s wife.

Relationship record

Life events

• Lycaon founded the town Lycosura on Mountain Lycæus.(Book 8 · Chapter 2 · 📍 Lycosura)
  • “For he founded the town Lycosura on the Mountain Lycæus”
• Lycaon named Zeus Lycæus and established the Lycæa festival.(Book 8 · Chapter 2 · 📍 Mountain Lycæus)
  • With: Zeus
  • “and called Zeus Lycæus, and established a festival to him called the Lycæa.”
• Lycaon sacrificed a baby to Lycæan Zeus and became a wolf.(Book 8 · Chapter 2 · 📍 Mountain Lycæus)
  • With: Zeus
  • “But Lycaon brought a baby to the altar of Lycæan Zeus, and sacrificed it upon it, and sprinkled its blood on the altar. And they say directly after this sacrifice he became a wolf instead of a man.”
• Nyctimus succeeded Lycaon and inherited all his power.(Book 8 · Chapter 3)
  • With: Nyctimus
  • “Nyctimus was the eldest son of Lycaon and succeeded to all his power”
• Lycaon's sons founded Tricoloni.(Book 8 · Chapter 35 · 📍 Tricoloni)
  • “Tricoloni was founded by the sons of Lycaon”
• Acacus, son of Lycaon, nursed Hermes when Hermes was brought up at Acacesium.(Book 8 · Chapter 36 · 📍 Acacesius)
  • With: Hermes Acacus
  • “they say Hermes was brought up there as a boy, and there is a tradition among the Arcadians that Acacus the son of Lycaon was his nurse”

Book 1 · Chapter 25

• child: Callisto (Lycaon is Callisto's father.) “Callisto the daughter of Lycaon”

Book 6 · Chapter 21

• child: Tricolonus the son of Lycaon “Tricolonus, who the Arcadians say was a descendant as well as namesake of Tricolonus the son of Lycaon”