Kypselos

Family: Corinthian · Role: son of Aëtion · First appears: Book 1 · §9–18

Kypselos was the son of Aëtion, and Labda was his parent. When she bore a child, men came to Aëtion’s house to kill it; unaware of their purpose, Labda handed the child to one of them, believing they had come out of friendly feeling toward its father.

Later, after receiving an oracle at Delphi, Kypselos attempted to seize Corinth and “obtained possession of it.” As despot, he exiled many Corinthians, took many of their wealth, and killed many others. After reigning for thirty years, he was succeeded by his son Periander. Kypselos was also connected by descent with the family of Hippocleides at Corinth.

Relationship record

Life events

• Kypselos seized control of Corinth after receiving an oracle at Delphi.(Book 5 · §93–94 · 📍 Corinth)
  • “a two-edged answer was given him at Delphi, placing trust in which he made an attempt upon Corinth and obtained possession of it.”
• As despot, Kypselos exiled Corinthians, took their wealth, and killed many.(Book 5 · §93–94 · 📍 Corinth)
  • “when he became despot was a man of this character,--many of the Corinthians he drove into exile, many he deprived of their wealth, and very many more of their lives.”
• Periander succeeded his father Kypselos as despot.(Book 5 · §93–94 · 📍 Corinth)
  • With: Periander
  • “And when he had reigned for thirty years and had brought his life to a prosperous end, his son Periander became his successor in the despotism.”

Book 1 · §9–18

• parent: Aëtion “but is that of Kypselos the son of Aëtion).”

Book 1 · §19–27

• child: Periander “Periander the son of Kypselos”

Book 3 · §42–50

• child: Periander (The chapter identifies Periander as the son of Kypselos.) “Periander the son of Kypselos had despatched three hundred sons of the chief men of Corcyra to Alyattes at Sardis to be made eunuchs;”

Book 5 · §93–94

• parent: Aëtion “From the offspring of Aëtion however it was destined that evils should spring up for Corinth: for Labda was listening to all this as she stood close by the door, and fearing lest they should change their mind and take the child a second time and kill it, she carried it and concealed it in the place which seemed to her the least likely to be discovered, that is to say a corn-chest, feeling sure that if they should return and come to a search, they were likely to examine everything: and this in fact happened. So when they had come, and searching had failed to find it, they thought it best to return and say to those who had sent them that they had done all that which they had been charged by them to do. (e) They then having departed said this; and after this the son of Aëtion grew, and because he had escaped this danger, the name of Kypselos was given him as a surname derived from the corn-chest.”
• parent: Labda “Then, so soon as his wife bore a child, they sent ten of their own number to the deme in which Aëtion had his dwelling, to slay the child; and when these had come to Petra and had passed into the court of Aëtion's house, they asked for the child; and Labda, not knowing anything of the purpose for which they had come, and supposing them to be asking for the child on account of friendly feeling towards its father, brought it and placed it in the hands of one of them.”
• child: Periander “And when he had reigned for thirty years and had brought his life to a prosperous end, his son Periander became his successor in the despotism.”

Book 5 · §95–103

• child: Periander (Periander is Kypselos's son.) “Finally Periander the son of Kypselos made peace between the Athenians and the Mytilenians”

Book 6 · §126–133

• with Hippocleides (Hippocleides was descended from the family of Kypselos.) “he was connected by descent with the family of Kypselos at Corinth”

⭐ Constellation map → · 📖 Read the original → · 🗂 Character index → · 🕰 Chronicle → · 📍 Places →

Extracted from the original text of The Histories. Made with Rho MD.