Phorbas (son of Triopas) explained

Type:	Greek
Phorbas
Deity Of:	Prince of Thessaly
Abode:	Thessaly
Consort:	unknown
Parents:	Triopas and Hiscilla
Siblings:	Erysichthon and Iphimedeia
Children:	?Pellen
Member Of:	the Thessalian Royal Family
Other Names:	Phorbaceus

In Greek mythology, Phorbas (Ancient Greek: Φόρβας, gen. Φόρβαντος) or Phorbaceus was a Thessalian prince and hero of the island of Rhodes. He was sometimes confounded with the Phlegyan Phorbas.^[1]

Family

Phorbas was the son of Triopas^[2] and Hiscilla, daughter of Myrmidon, and thus brother to Erysichthon^[3] and Iphimedia, mother of the Aloads.^[4] He was probably the Phorbas who was identified as the father of Pelles,^[5] founder of Achaean Pellene, who fathered Hyperasius, father of the Argonauts Amphion and Asterius.^[6]

Mythology

When the people of the island of Rhodes fell victim to a plague of masses of serpents (may have been dragons or simply snakes), an oracle directed them to call on a man named Phorbas. Phorbas cleansed the island of the snakes and in gratitude the Rhodians venerated him as a hero. For his achievement he won a place among the stars as the constellation Serpentarius or Ophiuchus.^[7]

According to an early account, before his departure, Phorbas was a rival in love of the god Apollo. In a later account he was portrayed as Apollo's lover, consequently dying.^[8]

Notes

1. [Diodorus Siculus]
2. Homeric Hymns to Apollo 211
3. [Hellanicus of Lesbos|Hellanicus]
4. [Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]
5. [Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]
6. [Apollonius of Rhodes|Apollonius Rhodius]
7. [Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]
8. [Plutarch]

References

• Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica translated by Robert Cooper Seaton (1853-1915), R. C. Loeb Classical Library Volume 001. London, William Heinemann Ltd, 1912. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
• Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica. George W. Mooney. London. Longmans, Green. 1912. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
• 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 4.59–8. 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. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
• Gaius Julius Hyginus, Astronomica 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.
• 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.
• Pseudo-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. . Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website.
• Publius Ovidius Naso, Metamorphoses translated by Brookes More (1859-1942). Boston, Cornhill Publishing Co. 1922. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
• Publius Ovidius Naso, Metamorphoses. Hugo Magnus. Gotha (Germany). Friedr. Andr. Perthes. 1892. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
• The Homeric Hymns and Homerica with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White. Homeric Hymns. Cambridge, MA.,Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website.