Euphemus

Family: Argonauts · Role: hero · First appears: Book I 2

Life events

• In a dream, Euphemus learns that Triton’s daughter will prepare a home for his descendants.(Book IV 14)
  • With: Triton
  • “For it seemed to him that the god-given clod of earth held in his palm close to his breast was being suckled by white streams of milk, and that from it, little though it was, grew a woman like a virgin; and he, overcome by strong desire, lay with her in love’s embrace; and united with her he pitied her, as though she were a maiden whom he was feeding with his own milk; but she comforted him with gentle words: ‘Daughter of Triton am I, dear friend, and nurse of thy children, no maiden; Triton and Libya are my parents. But restore me to the daughters of Nereus to dwell in the sea near Anaphe; I shall return again to the light of the sun, to prepare a home for thy descendants.’”
• Jason interprets Euphemus’s dream as a prophecy of an island for his descendants.(Book IV 14)
  • With: Jason Triton
  • “And Jason pondered a prophecy of the Far-Darter and lifted up his voice and said: ‘My friend, great and glorious renown has fallen to thy lot. For of this clod when thou hast cast it into the sea, the gods will make an island, where thy children’s children shall dwell; for Triton gave this to thee as a stranger’s gift from the Libyan mainland. None other of the immortals it was than he that gave thee this when he met thee.’”
• Euphemus casts Triton’s clod into the sea, and the island Calliste rises.(Book IV 14)
  • “Thus he spake; and Euphemus made not vain the answer of Aeson’s son; but, cheered by the prophecy, he cast the clod into the depths. Therefrom rose up an island, Calliste, sacred nurse of the sons of Euphemus”

Book I 2

• parent: Europe “Europe, daughter of mighty Tityos, bare to Poseidon”
• parent: Poseidon “Europe, daughter of mighty Tityos, bare to Poseidon”

Book IV 12

• patron: Triton “But if ye are searching for a passage through this sea, as often is the need of men passing through a strange land, I will declare it. ... Thus he spake, and readily Euphemus held out his hands towards the clod”

Book IV 14

• mentor: Jason “Of this he stored in his heart the memory, and declared it to Aeson’s son; and Jason pondered a prophecy of the Far-Darter and lifted up his voice and said: ‘My friend, great and glorious renown has fallen to thy lot. For of this clod when thou hast cast it into the sea, the gods will make an island, where thy children’s children shall dwell; for Triton gave this to thee as a stranger’s gift from the Libyan mainland. None other of the immortals it was than he that gave thee this when he met thee.’”
• patron: Triton “My friend, great and glorious renown has fallen to thy lot. For of this clod when thou hast cast it into the sea, the gods will make an island, where thy children’s children shall dwell; for Triton gave this to thee as a stranger’s gift from the Libyan mainland. None other of the immortals it was than he that gave thee this when he met thee.”
• friends with Jason “My friend, great and glorious renown has fallen to thy lot.”
• with Jason (Jason interprets the prophecy for Euphemus.) “And Jason pondered a prophecy of the Far-Darter and lifted up his voice and said:”

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Extracted from the original text of The Argonautica. Made with Rho MD.