View source for Phineus

{{Short description|In Greek mythology, a king of Salmydessus}}
{{Other uses|Phineus (mythology)}}
{{Distinguish|Phinehas}}
[[File:Phineus Boreads Louvre G364 n2.jpg|thumb|250px|Phineus with the Boreads.]]

In [[Greek mythology]], '''Phineus'''<ref>The name is occasionally rendered "Phineas" in popular culture, as in the film ''[[Jason and the Argonauts (1963 film)|Jason and the Argonauts]]''. "Phineus" may be associated with the ancient city of Phinea (or Phineopolis) on the Thracian Bosphorus.{{Citation needed|date=April 2012}}</ref> ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|f|ɪ|n|iː|ə|s|,_|ˈ|f|ɪ|n|.|j|uː|s}}; {{langx|grc|Φινεύς|Phineús}} {{IPA|grc|pʰiː.neǔs|lang|link=yes}}), was a king of [[Salmydessus]] in [[Thrace]]<ref>[[Scholia]] on [[Apollonius of Rhodes]], 2.178, 237''';''' Scholia ''ad eund'' 2.177; [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+1.9.21 1.9.21]</ref> and seer, who appears in accounts of the [[Argonauts]]' voyage.<ref>{{harvtxt|Bremmer|1996}}, {{harvtxt|Dräger|2007}}.</ref> Some accounts make him a king in [[Paphlagonia]]<ref name=":1">Scholia on Apollonius of Rhodes, 2.178, 237''';''' Scholia ''ad eund'' 2.177; [[Eustathius of Thessalonica|Eustathius]] ad [[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Hom.+Il.+2.851&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0134 2.851], ad [[Dionysius Periegetes]], 787; [[Stephanus of Byzantium]], s.v.; [[Constantine Porphyrogennetos]], ''De thematibus'' 1.7; [[William Smith (lexicographer)|William Smith]], ''[[Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography]]'' s.v. ''[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0064:entry=paphlagonia-geo&highlight=phineus Paphlagonia]''</ref> or in [[Arcadia (ancient region)|Arcadia]].<ref>[[Maurus Servius Honoratus|Servius]], ''Commentary on [[Virgil|Virgil's]] [[Aeneid]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/548 3.209]</ref>

== Family ==
Several different versions of Phineus's parentage were presented in ancient texts. According to [[Apollonius of Rhodes]], he was a son of [[Agenor]],<ref>Apollonius of Rhodes, [https://topostext.org/work/126 2.236–7]</ref> but the ''[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Bibliotheca]]'' says that other authors named his father as [[Poseidon]] (who is the father of Agenor).<ref name=":0">Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+1.9.21 1.9.21]</ref> The [[Hesiod|Hesiodic]] ''[[Catalogue of Women]]'', on the other hand, reported that Phineus was the son of [[Phoenix (son of Agenor)|Phoenix]]<ref>[[Pseudo-Scymnus|Pseudo-Scymnos]], ''Circuit de la terre'' 953 ff.</ref> and [[Cassiopeia (wife of Phoenix)|Cassiopeia]].<ref>[[Hesiod]], ''[[Catalogue of Women|Ehoiai]]'' fr. 138 ({{harvnb|Merkelbach|West|1967}}); Scholia on Apollonius of Rhodes, 2.178</ref><ref>Phineus was the grandson of Agenor as the son of Phoenix according to [[Pherecydes of Athens|Pherecydes]] and [[Antimachus]] as cited in George W. Mooney, ''Commentary on Apollonius: Argonautica'' vs ''[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0068%3Atext%3Dcomm%3Abook%3D2%3Acommline%3D178 Phineus]''</ref>

His first wife was [[Cleopatra (Greek myth)|Cleopatra]], daughter of [[Anemoi#Boreas|Boreas]] and [[Oreithyia]], by whom he had a pair of sons, named [[Plexippus]] and [[Pandion (mythology)|Pandion]],<ref>Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+3.15.2 3.15.3]</ref> or [[Gerymbas]] and [[Aspondus]],<ref>Scholia on [[Sophocles]], ''[[Antigone (Sophocles play)|Antigone]]'' 977 (ed. Brunck)</ref> or [[Polydector]] ([[Polydectus (mythology)|Polydectus]]) and [[Polydorus]],<ref>Scholia on [[Ovid]], ''[[Ibis (Ovid)|Ibis]]'' [https://journals.openedition.org/dictynna/912 273]</ref> or [[Parthenius (mythology)|Parthenius]] and [[Crambis]],<ref>Scholia on Apollonius Rhodius, 2.140; {{harvtxt|Dräger|2007}}</ref> or  [[Oryithus]] ([[Oarthus]]) and Crambis{{Citation needed|date=September 2018}}. His second wife, [[Idaea of Thrace|Idaea]], daughter of the [[Scythia]]n king [[Dardanus (mythological king)|Dardanus]]<ref>[[Diodorus Siculus]], [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/4C*.html#43 4.43.3–4]; Apollodorus, [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0548.tlg001.perseus-eng1:3.15.3 3.15.3]; Tripp, s.v. Dardanus (2) p. 190</ref> (less commonly [[Dia (mythology)|Dia]],<ref name=":2">Scholia on Apollonius of Rhodes, 2.178</ref> [[Eidothea (Greek myth)|Eidothea]], sister of [[Cadmus]],<ref>Scholia on Sophocles, ''Antigone'' [https://topostext.org/work/25 989]</ref> or [[Eurytia]]<ref name="Schol. Od. 12. 69">Scholia on [[Homer]], ''[[Odyssey]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Hom.+Od.+12.69&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0136 12.69]</ref>), deceived him into blinding these sons, a fate Phineus himself would suffer.<ref>Scholia on Apollonius of Rhodes, 2.178; Sophocles, ''Antigone'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0186%3Acard%3D966 966–76]</ref>

By his second wife, or by a [[Scythian]] concubine,<ref>Idaea and the [[Scythians|Scythian]] concubine might be the same.</ref> Phineus had two more sons, [[Mariandynus]] and [[Thynus]].<ref name="Sch. Ap. Rhod. 2. 140">Scholia on Apollonius Rhodius, 2.140</ref> According to some sources, he also had two daughters, [[Eraseia]] and [[Harpyreia]],<ref>[[Tzetzes]], ''[[John Tzetzes|Chiliades]]'' [http://www.theoi.com/Text/TzetzesChiliades1.html 1.220]; on [[Lycophron]], ''Alexandra'' [http://www.theoi.com/Text/LycophronAlexandra.html 166]</ref> while another daughter [[Olizone]] was called the wife of [[Dardanus (son of Zeus)|Dardanus]], who was the son of [[Zeus]] and [[Electra (Pleiad)|Electra]], and became the mother of [[Erichthonius of Dardania|Erichthonius]].<ref>[[Dictys Cretensis]], [https://topostext.org/work/152#3.5 3.5 & 4.22]</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+<big>Comparative table of Phineus' family</big>
! rowspan="3" |Relation
! rowspan="3" |Names
! colspan="14" |Source
|-
!''Homer''
!''Hesiod''
!''Sophocles''
! colspan="3" |''Apollon.''
! rowspan="2" |''Diodo.''
!''Ovid''
! rowspan="2" |''Valer.''
! rowspan="2" |''Apollod.''
! rowspan="2" |''Dictys''
! rowspan="2" |''Nonnus''
! rowspan="2" |''Tzetzes''
! rowspan="2" |''Unknown''
|-
|''Sch. Ody.''
|''[[Catalogue of Women|Ehoiai]]''
|''Sch. Anti.''
|''Argo.''
| colspan="2" |''Sch.''
|''Sch. Ibis''
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| rowspan="3" |''Parentage''
|Phoenix and Cassiopeia
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|Poseidon
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| rowspan="6" |''Wife''
|Cleopatra (1st wife)
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|[[Idaea (wife of Phineus)|Idaea]]
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|Dia
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| rowspan="15" |''Children''
|Gerymbas
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|Aspondus
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|Parthenius
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|[[Plexippus]]
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|[[Pandion (mythology)|Pandion]]
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|Olizone
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|Eraseia
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|Harpyreia
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|Oryithus (Oarthus)
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==Mythology==
[[Apollo]] was said to have given the gift of prophecy to Phineus,<ref>[[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''Fabulae'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#19 19]</ref> but the latter's own blinding was variously attributed to the outrage against his sons,<ref>Sophocles, fr. 704 Radt</ref> his giving [[Phrixus]] directions on his journey,<ref>''[[Megalai Ehoiai]]'' fr. 254 ({{harvnb|Merkelbach|West|1967}}).</ref> or because he preferred long life to sight,<ref>Hesiod, ''Ehoiai'' fr. 157 ({{harvnb|Merkelbach|West|1967}})</ref> or, as reported in the ''[[Argonautica]]'' (thus the best-known version), for revealing the future to mankind.<ref>Apollonius of Rhodes, 2.178–86</ref> For this reason he was also tormented by the [[Harpy|Harpies]], who stole or defiled whatever food he had at hand or, according to the ''Catalogue of Women'', drove Phineus himself to the corners of the world.<ref>Phineus' food: Apollonius of Rhodes, 2.187–201; his wandering torment: Hesiod, ''Ehoiai'' fr. 157 ({{harvnb|Merkelbach|West|1967}})</ref> According to [[scholia]] on the ''Odyssey'', when asked by Zeus if he preferred to die or lose sight as punishment for having his sons killed by their stepmother, Phineus chose the latter saying he would rather never see the sun, and consequently it was the scorned [[Helios]] who sent the Harpies against him.<ref name="Schol. Od. 12. 69" /> In yet another version, he blinded Phineus at the request of his son [[Aeëtes]], who asked him to do so because Phineus offered his assistance to Aeëtes' enemies.<ref name=":fowl">Fowler, p. [https://books.google.com/books?id=scd8AQAAQBAJ&pg=PA222 222], vol. II</ref><ref>Gantz, pp [https://archive.org/details/early-greek-myth-a-guide-timothy-gantz/page/352/mode/2up?view=theater 352–353]</ref> Alternatively the agent of punishment was [[Poseidon]].<ref name=":fowl"/> However the Harpies plagued him, deliverance from this curse motivated Phineus's involvement in the voyage of the ''[[Argo]]''.<ref name="Dräger 2007">{{harvtxt|Dräger|2007}}.</ref> Those accounts in which Phineus is stated to have blinded his sons, add that they had their sight restored to them by the sons of [[Boreas (god)|Boreas]],<ref>[[Argonautica Orphica|''Orphic Argonautica'']] 674</ref> or by [[Asclepius]].<ref>Scholia ad [[Pindar]], ''Pythian Odes'' 13.96</ref>

When the ship landed by his Thracian home, Phineus described his torment to the crew and told them that his brothers-in-law, the wing-footed [[Boreads]], both Argonauts, were fated to deliver him from the Harpies.<ref>Apollonius of Rhodes, 2.234–9</ref> Zetes demurred, fearing the wrath of the gods should they deliver Phineus from divine punishment, but the old seer assured him that he and his brother Calais would face no retribution.<ref>Apollonius of Rhodes, 2.244–61</ref> A trap was set: Phineus sat down to a meal with the Boreads standing guard, and as soon as he touched his food the Harpies swept down, devoured the food and flew off.<ref>Apollonius of Rhodes, 2.263–72</ref> The Boreads gave chase, pursuing the Harpies as far as the "Floating Islands" before [[Iris (mythology)|Iris]] stopped them lest they kill the Harpies against the will of the gods.<ref>Apollonius of Rhodes, 2.282–7</ref> She swore an oath by the [[Styx]] that the Harpies would no longer harass Phineus, and the Boreads then turned back to return to the Argonauts. It is for this reason, according to Apollonius, that the "Floating Islands" are now called the [[Strophades]], the "Turning Islands".<ref>Apollonius of Rhodes, 2.288–97</ref> Phineus then revealed to the Argonauts the path their journey would take and informed them how to pass the [[Symplegades]] safely, thus partially filling the same role for [[Jason]] that [[Circe]] did for [[Odysseus]] in the ''[[Odyssey]]''.<ref name="Dräger 2007"/>

A now-lost play about Phineus, ''[[The Persians#Production|Phineus]]'', was written by [[Aeschylus]] and was the first play in the trilogy that included ''[[The Persians]]'', produced in 472 B.C.<ref>{{cite book|title=Aeschylus and Athens|author=Thomson, G.|author-link=George Derwent Thomson|page=279|year=1973|publisher=Lawrence & Wishart|edition=4}}</ref> Eventually, Helios transformed Phineus into a [[Mole (animal)|mole]], a blind creature, over some unspecific insult.<ref>[[Pseudo-Oppian]], ''Cynegetica'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Oppian/Cynegetica/2*.html#612 2.615]</ref>

The story of Phineus and Cleopatra is briefly mentioned in Sophocles' ''[[Antigone (Sophocles play)|Antigone]]''.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Sophocles|title=The Three Theban Plays|publisher=Penguin Classics|year=1984|location=New York City|pages=109|translator-last=Fagles|translator-first=Robert}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== References ==

* [[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].

* [[Apollonius of Rhodes|Apollonius Rhodius]], ''Argonautica'' translated by Robert Cooper Seaton (1853–1915), R. C. Loeb Classical Library Volume 001. London, William Heinemann Ltd, 1912. [https://topostext.org/work/126 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
* Apollonius Rhodius, ''Argonautica''. George W. Mooney. London. Longmans, Green. 1912. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0227 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* {{Citation| last=Bremmer| first=J.N.| chapter=Phineus| title=Oxford Classical Dictionary|editor1=S. Hornblower |editor2=A. Spawforth | edition=3rd rev.| place=Oxford| year=1996| isbn=978-0-19-866172-6| url-access=registration| url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780198661726}}.
* [[Hesiod]], ''Catalogue of Women'' from ''Homeric Hymns, Epic Cycle, Homerica'' translated by Evelyn-White, H G. Loeb Classical Library Volume 57. London: William Heinemann, 1914. [http://www.theoi.com/Text/HesiodCatalogues.html Online version at theio.com]
* [[Dictys Cretensis]]'', from The Trojan War.'' ''The Chronicles of Dictys of Crete and [[Dares Phrygius|Dares the Phrygian]]'' translated by Richard McIlwaine Frazer, Jr. (1931–). Indiana University Press. 1966. [https://topostext.org/work/152 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
* [[Diodorus Siculus]], ''The Library of History'' translated by [[Charles Henry Oldfather]]. Twelve volumes. [[Loeb Classical Library]]. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. 1989. Vol. 3. Books 4.59&ndash;8. [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/home.html Online version at Bill Thayer's Web Site]
* Diodorus Siculus, ''Bibliotheca Historica. Vol 1–2''. Immanel Bekker. Ludwig Dindorf. Friedrich Vogel. in aedibus B. G. Teubneri. Leipzig. 1888–1890. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0540 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* {{Citation| last=Dräger| first=P.| chapter=Phineus| title=Brill's New Pauly: Antiquity| volume=11 (Phi–Prok)|editor1=H. Cancik |editor2=H. Schneider | year=2007| isbn=978-90-04-14216-9}}.
* [[Timothy Gantz|Gantz, Timothy]],  ''Early Greek myth: A Guide to Literary and Artistic Sources,'' 1993, The [[Johns Hopkins University Press]], [[Baltimore]], {{ISBN|0-8018-4410-X}}.
* [[Timothy Gantz|Gantz, Timothy]], ''Early Greek Myth: A Guide to Literary and Artistic Sources'', Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, Two volumes: {{ISBN|978-0-8018-5360-9}} (Vol. 1), {{ISBN|978-0-8018-5362-3}} (Vol. 2).
* [[Maurus Servius Honoratus]], ''In Vergilii carmina comentarii. Servii Grammatici qui feruntur in Vergilii carmina commentarii;'' recensuerunt Georgius Thilo et Hermannus Hagen. Georgius Thilo. Leipzig. B. G. Teubner. 1881. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0053 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library].
* {{Citation| last1=Merkelbach| first1=R.| last2=West| first2=M.L.| title=Fragmenta Hesiodea| place=Oxford| year=1967| isbn=0-19-814171-8}}.
* [[Sophocles]], ''The Antigone of Sophocles e''dited with introduction and notes by Sir Richard Jebb. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press. 1893. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0186 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.]
* Sophocles, ''Sophocles. Vol 1: Oedipus the king. Oedipus at Colonus. Antigone''. With an English translation by F. Storr. The Loeb classical library, 20. Francis Storr. London; New York. William Heinemann Ltd.; The Macmillan Company. 1912. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0185 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* Tripp, Edward, ''Crowell's Handbook of Classical Mythology'', Thomas Y. Crowell Co; First edition (June 1970). {{ISBN|069022608X}}.
* [[Argonautica Orphica|''The Orphic Argonautica'']], translated by Jason Colavito.  2011. [https://topostext.org/work/549 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]

==Further reading==
* {{Citation| last=Dräger| first=P.| title=Argo Pasimelousa. Der Argonautenmythos in der griechischen und römischen Literatur. Teil 1: Theos aitios| place=Stuttgart| year=1993| isbn=978-3-515-05974-9}}.
* {{Citation| last=West| first=M.L.| title=The Hesiodic Catalogue of Women: Its Nature, Structure, and Origins| place=Oxford| year=1985| isbn=0-19-814034-7}}.

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline|Phineus}}

{{Argonautica}}
{{Metamorphoses in Greco-Roman mythology}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Mythological Greek seers]]
[[Category:Children of Poseidon]]
[[Category:Mythological kings of Thrace]]
[[Category:Characters in the Argonautica]]
[[Category:Phoenician characters in Greek mythology]]
[[Category:Deeds of Zeus]]
[[Category:Deeds of Apollo]]
[[Category:Greek mythology of Thrace]]
[[Category:Helios in mythology]]
[[Category:Deeds of Poseidon]]
[[Category:Metamorphoses into animals in Greek mythology]]
[[Category:Mythological blind people]]