Messene

Also known as: Argive Messene · Family: Messenians · Role: wife of Polycaon; ruler of Messenia · First appears: Book 4 · Chapter 1

In Book 4, Chapter 1, Messene, daughter of Triopas, married Polycaon, ending his life as a private person. Together they invaded the country that took her name, and became its first rulers, establishing their royal headquarters at Andania. Messene established the mysteries where she and Polycaon lived; in Chapter 2, Caucon initiated her, and in Chapter 3, Glaucus bestowed gifts on her as on heroes.

Much later, after the Athenians’ reverse at Aegospotami, the Messenians were driven from Naupactus and dispersed to Sicily and Libya. After the victory at Leuctra, the Thebans sent for them to return to the Peloponnese. In the following events, a vision commanded Epaminondas to restore their country and cities; the walls, houses, temples, and capital of Messene were then built, while other towns were restored.

Relationship record

Life events

• Polycaon married Messene, ending his status as a private person.(Book 4 · Chapter 1)
  • With: Polycaon
  • “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: Polycaon
  • “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: Polycaon
  • “However the first rulers of this country were Polycaon (the son of Lelex) and his wife Messene.”
• The Messenians are driven from Naupactus and disperse to Sicily and Libya.(Book 4 · Chapter 26 · 📍 Naupactus)
  • “the Lacedæmonians being masters of the sea drove the Messenians from Naupactus, and some went into Sicily to their kinsmen at Zancle and Rhegium, but most to Libya to the Euesperitæ”
• The Thebans recall the wandering Messenians to the Peloponnese.(Book 4 · Chapter 26 · 📍 Peloponnese)
  • “And now the Thebans after the victory of Leuctra sent messengers to Italy and Sicily and to the Euesperitæ, to recall the Messenians from their wanderings to the Peloponnese.”
• A vision commands Epaminondas to restore the Messenians’ country and cities.(Book 4 · Chapter 26)
  • With: Epaminondas
  • “But do you in return restore to the Messenians their country and cities, for the wrath of Castor and Pollux towards them is now appeased.”
• The walls, houses, temples, and capital of Messene were built, while other towns were restored.(Book 4 · Chapter 27 · 📍 Messene)
  • With: Epaminondas
  • “And that day they devoted to sacrifices and prayers, and on the following days they raised the circuit of the walls, and began to build their houses and temples inside the walls.”

Book 4 · Chapter 1

• married with Polycaon “Polycaon the younger was only a private person till he married the Argive Messene, the daughter of Triopas, the son of Phorbas.”
• parent: Triopas (Triopas is the father of Messene.) “the Argive Messene, the daughter of Triopas, the son of Phorbas.”
• with Polycaon (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 Polycaon (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

• with Caucon (Caucon initiated Messene into the mysteries.) “for Caucon there initiated Messene”

Book 4 · Chapter 3

• parent: Triopas “Messene the daughter of Triopas”
• with Glaucus (son of Æpytus) (Glaucus awarded heroic honors or gifts to Messene.) “and awarded such gifts to Messene the daughter of Triopas as are usually bestowed on heroes”

Book 4 · Chapter 26

• parent: Triopas (Triopas is Messene's father.) “And they say the person who appeared to Epiteles and Epaminondas in their dreams was Caucon, who formerly came from Athens to Andania to Messene the daughter of Triopas.”
• with Caucon (The passage states that Caucon came to Messene.) “And they say the person who appeared to Epiteles and Epaminondas in their dreams was Caucon, who formerly came from Athens to Andania to Messene the daughter of Triopas.”

Book 4 · Chapter 27

• parent: Triopas “especially Messene the daughter of Triopas”

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