Lynceus
Role: father of Abas · First appears: Book 2 · Chapter 19
Lynceus escaped from Danaus to safety at Lyrceia, where he held up a torch as a signal to Hypermnestra, who kindled another at Larissa. Hypermnestra won the trial concerning him against her father, and the Argives commemorated their escape signals with an annual torch procession.
Lynceus was the younger son of Aphareus and brother of Idas. After the battle between the brothers and Castor and Pollux, Polydeuces defeated Lynceus and set up a trophy; later, Pollux slew him, while Idas died struck by lightning. Lynceus and Hypermnestra were the parents of Abas, founder of Abæ.
Relationship record
Life events
- Hypermnestra won the trial concerning Lynceus against her father, Danaus.(Book 2 · Chapter 21)
- With: Hypermnestra (daughter of Danaus) Danaus
- “The temple of Artemis, under the name Persuasion, was erected also by Hypermnestra, when she was victorious over her father in the trial about Lynceus.”
- Lynceus escaped to safety while Hypermnestra signaled that she was safe.(Book 2 · Chapter 25 · 📍 Lyrceia)
- With: Hypermnestra
- “This is the place to which Lynceus alone of all the 50 brothers is said to have escaped, and when he got there safe, he held up a lighted torch there. For it was no doubt agreed between Hypermnestra and him that he should do so as a signal, if he should escape from Danaus and get to a place of safety. And she also they say kindled another at Larissa, manifestly to show that she too was in no danger.”
- The Argives commemorated their escape signals with an annual torch procession.(Book 2 · Chapter 25)
- With: Hypermnestra
- “And in memory of this the Argives every year have a torch procession.”
- Castor and Pollux came to be reckoned gods after the battle between Idas and Lynceus.(Book 3 · Chapter 13)
- Polydeuces defeated Lynceus and erected a trophy commemorating the victory.(Book 3 · Chapter 14 · 📍 Dromus)
- With: Polydeuces
- “at no great distance is a trophy, which they say Polydeuces put up after his victory over Lynceus.”
- Pollux kills Lynceus, while Idas dies after being struck by lightning.(Book 4 · Chapter 3)
- Abas founded Abæ, which was named after him.(Book 10 · Chapter 35 · 📍 Abæ)
- With: Abas (son of Lynceus) Hypermnestra Danaus
- “their town took its name from its founder Abas, the son of Lynceus by Hypermnestra the daughter of Danaus.”
Book 2 · Chapter 19
- with Danaus (Danaus considered his safety compromised by Lynceus's.) “partly because he thought his own safety compromised by that of Lynceus”
Book 2 · Chapter 21
- with Hypermnestra (daughter of Danaus) (They share a grave.) “the sepulchre of Hypermnestra the daughter of Danaus, who lies in the same grave with Lynceus”
Book 2 · Chapter 25
- with Hypermnestra (They agreed on an escape signal.) “For it was no doubt agreed between Hypermnestra and him that he should do so as a signal, if he should escape from Danaus and get to a place of safety.”
Book 3 · Chapter 13
- enemies with Idas “the battle between Idas and Lynceus”
- rivals with Idas “the battle between Idas and Lynceus”
Book 3 · Chapter 14
- rivals with Polydeuces “a trophy, which they say Polydeuces put up after his victory over 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 Idas “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.”
- elder kin: Idas “the elder and more manly of Aphareus’ children was Idas, and the younger was Lynceus”
Book 4 · Chapter 3
- enemies with Pollux “a quarrel arose about cattle, and Lynceus was slain by Pollux”
- parent: Aphareus “the sons of Aphareus and Castor and Pollux (their uncles) a quarrel arose about cattle, and Lynceus was slain by Pollux”
- with Idas (They quarrelled about cattle.) “between the sons of Aphareus and Castor and Pollux (their uncles) a quarrel arose about cattle”
- with Pollux (Pollux killed Lynceus.) “Lynceus was slain by Pollux”
Book 10 · Chapter 35
- child: Abas (son of Lynceus) “The people of Abæ say they came to Phocis from Argos, and that their town took its name from its founder Abas, the son of Lynceus by Hypermnestra the daughter of Danaus.”
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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.