View source for Arcas

{{Short description|Greek mythological king of Arcadia}}
{{other uses}}

[[File:Ricci_-_ARCAS_AND_CALLISTO,_lot.9.jpg | thumb | right | alt=Arcas and Callisto, Sebastiano Ricci (1659–1734). | Arcas and Callisto, Sebastiano Ricci (1659–1734).]]
In [[Greek mythology]], '''Arcas''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɑr|k|ə|s}}; [[Ancient Greek]]: [[wikt:Ἀρκάς|Ἀρκάς]]) was a hunter who became king of [[Arcadia (ancient region)|Arcadia]]. He was remembered for having taught people the arts of weaving and baking bread and for spreading agriculture to Arcadia.

== Family ==
Arcas was the son of [[Zeus]] and [[Callisto (mythology)|Callisto]].<ref>[[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''Fabulae'' 155; [[Clementine literature|Pseudo-Clement]], ''Recognitions'' [[iarchive:gri_000033125008629871/page/123/mode/1up|10, p. 123, ll. 44-45]] where he was erroneously called '''Orcas'''</ref> In other accounts, his birth mother was called [[Megisto (mythology)|Megisto]], daughter of [[Ceteus]], son of [[Lycaon (king of Arcadia)|Lycaon]],<ref>Hyginus, {{lang|la|[[De astronomia]]}} [https://topostext.org/work/207#2.1.6 2.1.6], and [https://topostext.org/work/207#2.6.2 2.6.2], with [[Ariaethus of Tegea|Araethus of Tegea]] as authority</ref> or else [[Themisto (mythology)|Themisto]], daughter of [[Inachus]].<ref>[[Eustathius of Thessalonica|Eustathius]] ad [[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [[iarchive:commentariiadho01eust/page/242/mode/1up|p. 300]]; [[Stephanus of Byzantium]], s.v.  ''[https://topostext.org/work/241#A119.18 Arcadia (Ἀρκαδία)];'' [[Clementine literature|Pseudo-Clement]], ''Recognitions'' [[iarchive:gri_000033125008629871/page/123/mode/1up|10, p. 123, l. 40]]</ref>

Arcas was married to either [[Laodamia]] ([[Leanira|Leaneira]]), daughter of [[Amyclas of Sparta]]; [[Meganeira]], daughter of [[Crocon]];<ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+3.9.1&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:book=3,chapter:9&highlight=Meganira 3.9.1]</ref> the [[nymph]] [[Chrysopeleia (mythology)|Chrysopeleia]]; or the [[Dryad]] [[Erato (dryad)|Erato]]. He also left a number of children, including the sons [[Azan (mythology)|Azan]], [[Apheidas of Arcadia|Apheidas]], [[Elatus]], and [[Triphylus]],<ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], 3.9.1; [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], 8.4.1-2 & 10.9.5</ref> an illegitimate son [[Autolaus]]<ref>Pausanias, 8.4.2 & 8.25.11</ref> and at least two daughters, [[Hyperippe]]<ref>Pausanias, 5.1.4</ref> and [[Diomeneia]].<ref>Pausanias, 8.9.9</ref> Arcas's other sons were [[Erymanthus (mythology)|Erymanthus]]<ref>Pausanias, 8.24.1</ref> and [[Pelasgus]].<ref>Pausanias, 2.14.4</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+<big>Comparative table of Arcas's family</big>
|-
! rowspan="2" |Relation
! rowspan="2" |Names
! colspan="4" |Sources
|-
|Apollodorus's ''[[Bibliotheca (Apollodorus)|Bibliotheca]]''
| colspan="3" |Pausanias's ''[[Description of Greece]]''
|-
|''Parents''
|Callisto and Zeus
|✓
| colspan="3" |✓
|-
| rowspan="6" |''Wife''
|Leanira
|✓
|
|
|
|-
|Meganira
|✓
|
|
|
|-
|Chrysopelia
|✓
|
|
|
|-
|Erato
|
|✓
|
|
|-
|Laodameia
|
|
|✓
|
|-
|Unknown
|
|
|
|✓
|-
| rowspan="9" |''Children''
|Elatus
|✓
|✓
|
|
|-
|Apheidas
|✓
|✓
|
|
|-
|Azan
|
|✓
|
|
|-
|Triphylus
|
|
|✓
|
|-
|Pelasgus
|
|
|
|✓
|-
|Hyperippe
|
|
|
|✓
|-
|Diomeneia
|
|
|
|✓
|-
|Erymanthus
|
|
|
|✓
|-
|Autolaus
|
|
|
|✓
|}

== Mythology ==
Callisto was a nymph in the [[retinue]] of the goddess [[Artemis]], or in some sources the daughter of King [[Lycaon (king of Arcadia)|Lycaon]]. As she would not be with anyone but Artemis, Zeus cunningly disguised himself as Artemis and raped Callisto. The child resulting from their union was called Arcas.<ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], 3.8.2</ref><ref>Pausanias, [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.perseus-eng1:8.3.6 8.3.6]</ref><ref>Hyginus, ''Fabulae'' 176</ref>

[[Hera]] became jealous, and in anger, she transformed Callisto into a [[bear]]. She would have done the same or worse to her son, but Zeus hid Arcas in an area of [[Ancient Greece|Greece]], which would come to be called [[Arcadia (ancient region)|Arcadia]], in his honor. Arcas was given into a care of one of the [[Pleiades_(Greek_mythology)|Pleiades]], Maia. There, Arcas safely lived until one day, during one of the court feasts held by king [[Lycaon (king of Arcadia)|Lycaon]] (Arcas's maternal grandfather), Arcas was placed upon the burning altar as a sacrifice to the gods. He then said to Zeus, "If you think that you are so clever, make your son whole and un-harmed". Zeus became enraged and made Arcas whole and directed his anger toward Lycaon, turning him into the first [[werewolf]].<ref>[[Ovid]], ''[[Metamorphoses]]'' 2.401 ff.</ref><ref>Ovid, ''[[Fasti (Ovid)|Fasti]]'' 2.155 ff.</ref>

Then, Arcas became the new king of Arcadia and the country's greatest [[hunter]]. One day, when Arcas went hunting in the woods, he came across his mother. Seeing her son after so long, she went forth to embrace him. Not knowing that the bear was his mother, he went to kill her with an [[arrow]]. In one version of the story, Arcas hunted Callisto because she had entered the forbidden sanctuary of Zeus on Mt. Lykaion.<ref>Pseudo-Eratosthenes, ''Catast.'' fr. 1</ref>  Zeus however, watching over them, stopped Arcas from shooting Callisto and raised them into the heavens as constellations ([[Boötes]]<ref>Ridpath 1988, p. 35</ref> and [[Ursa Major]]). When Hera heard of that, she became so angry that she asked [[Tethys (mythology)|Tethys]] to keep them in a certain place so that the constellations would never sink below the horizon and receive water.<ref>Ovid, ''Metamorphoses'' 2.496 ff.</ref> Arcas's bones were brought from Mount Maenalos to an altar of Hera in [[Mantineia|Mantinea]] according to the instructions of the Delphic Oracle.<ref name=":0">Pausanias 8.9.3 </ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

== References ==
{{refbegin}}
* [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], ''The Library'' with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. ISBN 0-674-99135-4. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0022 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0021 Greek text available from the same website].
*[[Gaius Julius Hyginus]], ''Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus'' translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies. [https://topostext.org/work/206 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
* [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], ''Description of Greece'' with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A., in 4 Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918. {{ISBN|0-674-99328-4}}. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0160 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library]
*Pausanias, ''Graeciae Descriptio.'' ''3 vols''. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903.  [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0159 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Ovid|Publius Ovidius Naso]], ''Fasti'' translated by James G. Frazer. [https://topostext.org/work/143 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
* Publius Ovidius Naso, ''Fasti.'' Sir James George Frazer. London; Cambridge, MA. William Heinemann Ltd.; Harvard University Press. 1933. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0547 Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* Publius Ovidius Naso, ''Metamorphoses'' translated by Brookes More (1859–1942). Boston, Cornhill Publishing Co. 1922. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0028 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.]
* Publius Ovidius Naso, ''Metamorphoses.'' Hugo Magnus. Gotha (Germany). Friedr. Andr. Perthes. 1892. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0029 Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* Ridpath, Ian (1988). ''Star Tales''. Universe Books.
{{refend}}

{{Metamorphoses in Greco-Roman mythology}}

[[Category:Sons of Zeus]]
[[Category:Mythological hunters]]
[[Category:Mythological kings of Arcadia]]
[[Category:Metamorphoses characters]]
[[Category:Deeds of Zeus]]
[[Category:Metamorphoses into animals in Greek mythology]]
[[Category:Ursa Minor]]
[[Category:Astronomical myths]]