Oebalus Explained

In Greek mythology, Oebalus, also spelled Oibalus or Oibalius, (; Ancient Greek: Οἴβαλος, Oíbalos) was a king of Sparta.

Family

Oibalus was the son of either Cynortas^[1] or Argalus.^[2] He was the second husband of Princess Gorgophone and thus son-in-law of the hero Perseus. With her or by the Naiad Bateia,^[3] Oibalos fathered Tyndareus,^{[4] [5] [6]} Icarius and Hippocoon, as well as a daughter, Arene, who married her half-brother Aphareus.^{[7] [8]} The nymph Pirene^[9] and Hyacinth^{[10] [11]} were also called the daughter and son of Oebalius respectively. His grandchildren, the Dioscuri, were usually referred as Oibalids^[12] or Oebalidae.^[13]

Oebalus was often confused with Gorgophone's first husband, Perieres, son of Aeolus. They were separate people, usually unrelated though Oebalus was sometimes said to be Perieres’ son.

Relation! rowspan="2"

Names	Sources
Hesiod	Apollodorus		Dictys	Hyginus	Pausanias		Lucian
Parentage	Perieres		✓
	Argalus				✓
	Cynortas						✓
Consort	Batia		✓
	Gorgophone						✓
Children	Tyndareus	✓	✓		✓	✓
	Hippocoon		✓
	Icarius		✓
	Arene			✓		✓		✓
	Hyacinthus					✓			✓
	Pirene							✓

References

• 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. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website.
• Dictys Cretensis, from The Trojan War. The Chronicles of Dictys of Crete and Dares the Phrygian translated by Richard McIlwaine Frazer, Jr. (1931-). Indiana University Press. 1966. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
• Gaius Julius Hyginus, Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
• Gaius Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica translated by Mozley, J H. Loeb Classical Library Volume 286. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1928. Online version at theio.com.
• Gaius Valerius Flaccus, Argonauticon. Otto Kramer. Leipzig. Teubner. 1913. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
• Lucian of Samosata, Dialogues of the Gods translated by Fowler, H W and F G. Oxford: The Clarendon Press. 1905. Online version at theoi.com
• Luciani Samosatensis, Opera. Vol I. Karl Jacobitz. in aedibus B. G. Teubneri. Leipzig. 1896. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
• 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. . Online version at the Perseus Digital Library
• Pausanias, Graeciae Descriptio. 3 vols. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
• Publius Ovidius Naso, Fasti translated by James G. Frazer. 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. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
• Publius Ovidius Naso, The Epistles of Ovid. London. J. Nunn, Great-Queen-Street; R. Priestly, 143, High-Holborn; R. Lea, Greek-Street, Soho; and J. Rodwell, New-Bond-Street. 1813. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
• Publius Ovidius Naso. Amores, Epistulae, Medicamina faciei femineae, Ars amatoria, Remedia amoris. Edition by R. Ehwald; Rudolphi Merkelii; Leipzig. B. G. Teubner. 1907. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
• Publius Papinius Statius, The Thebaid translated by John Henry Mozley. Loeb Classical Library Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1928. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
• Publius Papinius Statius, The Thebaid. Vol I-II. John Henry Mozley. London: William Heinemann; New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 1928. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.

Notes and References

1. [Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]
2. [Dictys Cretensis]
3. [Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]
4. [Hyginus]
5. [Ovid]
6. [Gaius Valerius Flaccus|Valerius Flaccus]
7. Apollodorus, 3.10.3
8. Hyginus, Fabulae 78
9. Megalai Ehoiai fr. 258, cited in Pausanias, 2.2.2
10. [Lucian]
11. Hyginus, Fabulae 271
12. Ovid, Fasti 5.705
13. [Statius]