Idas
Also known as: Ides · Family: Idæan Dactyli · Role: brother · First appears: Book 3 · Chapter 13
In Book 3, Idas and Lynceus were enemies and rivals; the text dates the reckoning of Castor and Pollux as gods to forty years after their battle. In Book 4, Idas is named the elder and more manly son of Aphareus, with Lynceus as his younger brother. A quarrel over cattle arose between them and their uncles, Castor and Pollux; Pollux killed Lynceus, and Idas died after being struck by lightning.
The account of Zeus’s birth names Idas among the five Idæan Dactyli entrusted by Rhea with protecting the infant Zeus, alongside Hercules, Epimedes, Pæonæus and Iasius. It also says Idas had a daughter, Cleopatra, by Marpessa, whom he led away after Apollo had snatched her for himself.
Relationship record
Life events
- Castor and Pollux came to be reckoned gods after the battle between Idas and Lynceus.(Book 3 · Chapter 13)
- Pollux kills Lynceus, while Idas dies after being struck by lightning.(Book 4 · Chapter 3)
- Rhea entrusted the infant Zeus to the five Idæan Dactyli for protection.(Book 5 · Chapter 7)
- Idas leads Marpessa away after Apollo snatched her for himself.(Book 5 · Chapter 18)
Book 3 · Chapter 13
- enemies with Lynceus “the battle between Idas and Lynceus”
- rivals with Lynceus “the battle between Idas and Lynceus”
Book 4 · Chapter 2
- parent: Aphareus “And the elder and more manly of Aphareus’ children was Idas, and the younger was Lynceus”
- siblings with Lynceus “And the elder and more manly of Aphareus’ children was Idas, and the younger was Lynceus”
- mentor: Lycus “And he taught the mysteries of the Great Goddesses to Aphareus and his sons and his wife Arene.”
- child: Cleopatra (daughter of Idas) “but Ides had by Marpessa a daughter Cleopatra”
- younger kin: Lynceus “the elder and more manly of Aphareus’ children was Idas, and the younger was Lynceus”
Book 4 · Chapter 3
- parent: Aphareus “the sons of Aphareus and Castor and Pollux (their uncles) a quarrel arose about cattle, and Lynceus was slain by Pollux, while Idas died smitten with lightning”
- with Lynceus (They quarrelled about cattle.) “between the sons of Aphareus and Castor and Pollux (their uncles) a quarrel arose about cattle”
Book 5 · Chapter 7
- siblings with Hercules “their names were Hercules, and Epimedes, and Pæonæus, and Iasius, and Idas. And Hercules the eldest of them challenged his brothers in play to run a race together”
- siblings with Epimedes “their names were Hercules, and Epimedes, and Pæonæus, and Iasius, and Idas. And Hercules the eldest of them challenged his brothers in play to run a race together”
- siblings with Pæonæus “their names were Hercules, and Epimedes, and Pæonæus, and Iasius, and Idas. And Hercules the eldest of them challenged his brothers in play to run a race together”
- siblings with Iasius “their names were Hercules, and Epimedes, and Pæonæus, and Iasius, and Idas. And Hercules the eldest of them challenged his brothers in play to run a race together”
- rivals with Hercules “And Hercules the eldest of them challenged his brothers in play to run a race together, and they would crown the victor with a branch of the wild olive”
Book 5 · Chapter 14
- siblings with Hercules “Next is an altar of Hercules under the title of Aider, and altars to Hercules’ brothers, Epimedes and Idas and Pæonæus and Iasus.”
- siblings with Epimedes “altars to Hercules’ brothers, Epimedes and Idas and Pæonæus and Iasus”
- siblings with Pæonæus “altars to Hercules’ brothers, Epimedes and Idas and Pæonæus and Iasus”
- siblings with Iasus “altars to Hercules’ brothers, Epimedes and Idas and Pæonæus and Iasus”
Book 5 · Chapter 18
- with Marpessa (Idas is leading Marpessa away from the temple.) “Idas is leading away from the temple by no means against her will Marpessa of the beautiful ancles, whom Apollo snatched away for himself.”
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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.