Cycnus son of Ares

Family: Greek · Role: son of Ares · First appears: The Shield of Heracles · Part 1

Cycnus was the son of Ares, and he had Themistinoe as his wife. In Part 1 of The Shield of Heracles, Heracles slew him.

In Part 3, Heracles killed Cycnus with a spear thrust to the neck. Heracles and Iolaus stripped the armour from his shoulders and went to Trachis; Ceyx later buried him with the people who lived near the king’s city. At Pytho, Apollo commanded Anaurus to erase Cycnus’s grave and memorial because Cycnus had despoiled offerings brought there.

Relationship record

Life events

• Heracles slew Cycnus.(The Shield of Heracles · Part 1)
  • With: Heracles
  • “And he slew Cycnus, the gallant son of Ares.”
• Heracles killed Cycnus with a spear thrust to the neck.(The Shield of Heracles · Part 3)
  • With: Heracles
  • “And the deadly spear cut through the two sinews; for the hero’s full strength lighted on his foe. And Cycnus fell”
• Heracles and Iolaus stripped Cycnus of his armour and went to Trachis.(The Shield of Heracles · Part 3 · 📍 Trachis)
  • With: Heracles Iolaus
  • “But the son of Alcmena and glorious Iolaus stripped the fine armour off Cycnus’ shoulders and went, and their swift horses carried them straight to the city of Trachis.”
• Ceyx buried Cycnus with the people who lived near the king’s city.(The Shield of Heracles · Part 3 · 📍 Anthe)
  • With: Ceyx
  • “As for Cycnus, Ceyx buried him and the countless people who lived near the city of the glorious king, in Anthe and the city of the Myrmidons, and famous Iolcus, and Arne, and Helice:”
• Apollo commanded Anaurus to erase Cycnus’s grave and memorial because Cycnus despoiled offerings brought to Pytho.(The Shield of Heracles · Part 3 · 📍 Pytho)
  • With: Apollo
  • “But Anaurus, swelled by a rain-storm, blotted out the grave and memorial of Cycnus; for so Apollo, Leto’s son, commanded him, because he used to watch for and violently despoil the rich hecatombs that any might bring to Pytho.”

The Shield of Heracles · Part 1

• parent: Ares “And he slew Cycnus, the gallant son of Ares.”

The Shield of Heracles · Part 3

• parent: Ares “because of his dead son”
• married with Themistinoe “for you have his daughter dark-eyed Themistinoe to wife.”

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Extracted from the original text of Hesiod and Homerica. Made with Rho MD.