Polycaon

Role: younger son of Lelex · First appears: Book 3 · Chapter 1

In Book 3, Polycaon is named as the younger son of Lelex, alongside his elder brother Myles. By Book 4, Myles has succeeded Lelex, while Polycaon remains a private person until he marries Messene, daughter of Triopas.

Polycaon and Messene gather an army from Argos and Lacedæmon and invade the country, which is thereafter called Messene. They become its first rulers and establish their royal headquarters at Andania. In Book 4, Chapter 2, Polycaon is also described as the son of Butes and as marrying Euæchme, daughter of Hyllus.

Relationship record

Life events

• Polycaon married Messene, ending his status as a private person.(Book 4 · Chapter 1)
  • With: Messene
  • “Polycaon the younger was only a private person till he married the Argive Messene, the daughter of Triopas, the son of Phorbas.”
• Polycaon and Messene invaded the country, which was thereafter called Messene.(Book 4 · Chapter 1 · 📍 Messene)
  • With: Messene
  • “So they gathered together an army from Argos and Lacedæmon and invaded this country, and the whole district was called Messene from her.”
• Polycaon and Messene became the first rulers and established their royal headquarters at Andania.(Book 4 · Chapter 1 · 📍 Andania)
  • With: Messene
  • “However the first rulers of this country were Polycaon (the son of Lelex) and his wife Messene.”
• Polycaon married Euæchme, daughter of Hyllus.(Book 4 · Chapter 2)
  • With: Euæchme
  • “Polycaon the son of Butes married Euæchme, the daughter of Hyllus the son of Hercules”

Book 3 · Chapter 1

• parent: Lelex “And Lelex’ sons were Myles and a younger son Polycaon.”

Book 4 · Chapter 1

• parent: Lelex (Lelex is the father of Polycaon.) “However the first rulers of this country were Polycaon (the son of Lelex) and his wife Messene.”
• siblings with Myles (Myles and Polycaon are sons of Lelex.) “Myles who was the elder of his sons succeeded him, and Polycaon the younger was only a private person till he married the Argive Messene”
• married with Messene “Polycaon the younger was only a private person till he married the Argive Messene, the daughter of Triopas, the son of Phorbas.”
• with Messene (Messene and Polycaon lived together.) “And it seems also common sense that Messene would not establish the mysteries in any other place than where she and Polycaon lived.”
• with Messene (Polycaon and Messene were joint rulers.) “However the first rulers of this country were Polycaon (the son of Lelex) and his wife Messene.”

Book 4 · Chapter 2

• married with Euæchme “Polycaon the son of Butes married Euæchme, the daughter of Hyllus the son of Hercules”
• parent: Butes “Polycaon the son of Butes married Euæchme”

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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.