Icarius

Role: supporter of Hippocoon · First appears: Book 3 · Chapter 1

In Book 3, Chapter 1, Icarius supported Hippocoon, whose greater power forced Tyndareus to retire to Pellene. In Chapter 12, Icarius proposed a race for Penelope’s suitors, and Odysseus won at Apheta.

In Chapter 20, Icarius gave Penelope in marriage to Odysseus and tried to persuade him to live at Lacedæmon. He also asked Penelope to remain with him, but when she chose to leave with Odysseus, Icarius let her go. Book 8, Chapter 34, identifies Perilaus as Icarius’s son and says he later had daughters.

Relationship record

Life events

• Hippocoon, supported by Icarius, forced Tyndareus to retire to Pellene.(Book 3 · Chapter 1 · 📍 Pellene)
  • With: Hippocoon Tyndareus
  • “And Icarius and his party espousing Hippocoon’s cause, he far exceeded Tyndareus in power, and compelled him to retire from fear to Pellene, according to the Lacedæmonian account.”
• Odysseus won Icarius’s race for Penelope’s suitors.(Book 3 · Chapter 12 · 📍 Apheta)
  • With: Penelope Odysseus
  • “They say that Icarius proposed a race for the suitors of Penelope, and that Odysseus won the prize is clear, and they started they say at the road called Apheta.”
• Icarius gave Penelope in marriage to Odysseus.(Book 3 · Chapter 20)
  • With: Penelope Odysseus
  • “When Icarius gave Penelope in marriage to Odysseus, he endeavoured to persuade Odysseus to live at Lacedæmon”
• Penelope chose to leave with Odysseus, and Icarius allowed her departure.(Book 3 · Chapter 20 · 📍 Lacedæmon)
  • With: Penelope Odysseus
  • “And she they say made no answer, but, as she veiled her face at this proposal, Icarius perceived that she wished to go off with Odysseus, and let her go”

Book 3 · Chapter 1

• with Hippocoon (Icarius supported Hippocoon's claim.) “And Icarius and his party espousing Hippocoon’s cause, he far exceeded Tyndareus in power, and compelled him to retire from fear to Pellene, according to the Lacedæmonian account.”

Book 3 · Chapter 12

• with Odysseus (Icarius proposed the race that Odysseus won.) “They say that Icarius proposed a race for the suitors of Penelope, and that Odysseus won the prize is clear, and they started they say at the road called Apheta.”

Book 3 · Chapter 20

• child: Penelope “When Icarius gave Penelope in marriage to Odysseus, he endeavoured to persuade Odysseus to live at Lacedæmon, but failing in that he begged his daughter to remain with him,”
• with Odysseus (Icarius is Odysseus's father-in-law.) “When Icarius gave Penelope in marriage to Odysseus, he endeavoured to persuade Odysseus to live at Lacedæmon, but failing in that he begged his daughter to remain with him”

Book 8 · Chapter 34

• child: Perilaus (son of Icarius) “Perilaus was the son of Icarius, who afterwards had daughters born to him.”

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