Apis (Greek mythology) explained

Apis (; Ancient Greek: Ἄπις derived from apios "far-off" or "of the pear-tree"[1] [2]) is the name of a figure, or several figures, appearing in the earliest antiquity according to Greek mythology and historiography. It is uncertain exactly how many figures of the name Apis are to be distinguished, particularly due to variation of their genealogies. A common element is that an Apis was an early king in the Peloponnesus that had a territory named after himself and that Apis was often, but not always, ascribed an Egyptian origin. For the sake of convenience, the variant myths are presented here as if they dealt with separate characters.

References

Notes and References

  1. "Apis is the noun formed from apios, a Homeric adjective usually meaning ‘far off’ but, when applied to the Peloponnese (Aeschylus: Suppliants), ‘of the pear-tree’" as cited in Robert Graves' The Greek Myths
  2. Book: Robert Graves. The Greek Myths. Penguin Books. 1960. 978-0143106715. Harmondsworth, London, England. s.v. Endymion.
  3. [Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]
  4. [Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]
  5. [Aeschylus]
  6. Pausanias, 5.1.8
  7. Apollodorus, 1.7.6