Olen
Also known as: Lycian Olen · Family: Lycian · Role: hymnographer · First appears: Book 1 · Chapter 18
Olen’s hymns are associated with Ilithyia from Book 1, where people sacrifice to her and sing at her altar “the Hymn of Olen.” By Book 2, he is cited for saying in his hymn to Hera that the Seasons reared Hera, who was mother of Ares and Hebe; in Book 5, he is credited with first mentioning in a hymn to Achæia that she came to Delos from the Hyperboreans.
In Book 8, Olen is described as earlier than Homer and as having written hymns to Ilithyia and for the Delians. He identifies Ilithyia with Fate, says she is older than Cronos, and calls her Eulinus. In Book 9, his hymn to Ilithyia says she was the mother of Eros; in Book 10, he is called Phœbus’ first prophet and the first to put the ancient oracles into verse.
Relationship record
Life events
- Olen identifies Ilithyia with Fate, declares her older than Cronos, and calls her Eulinus.(Book 8 · Chapter 21)
Book 1 · Chapter 18
- with Ilithyia (A hymn by Olen was sung at Ilithyia's altar.) “who sacrifice to her and sing at her altar the Hymn of Olen.”
Book 2 · Chapter 13
- with Hebe (Olen attributes this account to Hebe.) “But Olen in his Hymn to Hera says that she was reared by the Seasons, and was mother of Ares and Hebe.”
Book 5 · Chapter 7
- with Achæia (The text associates Olen with a hymn to Achæia.) “Olen the Lycian first mentioned in a hymn to Achæia, that she came to Delos from these Hyperboreans”
Book 8 · Chapter 21
- with Homer (Olen is described as earlier than Homer.) “But the Lycian Olen, who was earlier than Homer, and wrote Hymns to Ilithyia and for the Delians, says that she was the same as Fate, and older than Cronos.”
- with Ilithyia (Olen wrote hymns to Ilithyia.) “But the Lycian Olen, who was earlier than Homer, and wrote Hymns to Ilithyia and for the Delians, says that she was the same as Fate, and older than Cronos.”
Book 9 · Chapter 27
- with Ilithyia (interaction) “the Lycian Olen, who wrote the most ancient Hymns of the Greeks, says in his Hymn to Ilithyia”
- with Eros (Olen wrote a hymn concerning Eros's parentage.) “The Lycian Olen, who wrote the most ancient Hymns of the Greeks, says in his Hymn to Ilithyia that she was the mother of Eros.”
Book 10 · Chapter 5
- with Apollo (Olen was Apollo's first prophet.) “And Olen who was Phœbus’ first prophet, And first to put in verse the ancient oracles.”
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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.