Triopas of Argos explained

In Greek mythology, Triopas or Triops (; Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Τρίωψ, gen.: Τρίοπος) was the seventh king of Argos.^{[1] [2]} Triopas may be an aspect of the Argive Zeus (sometimes represented with a third eye on his forehead), or may be his human representative.

Etymology

The name's popular etymology is "he who has three eyes" (from τρι- "three" + -ωπ- "see") but the ending -ωψ, -οπος suggests a Pre-Greek origin.

Family

Triopas belonged to the house of Phoroneus of Argos. According to Hyginus' Fabulae, he was the son of Piranthus and Callirhoe, brother of Argus and Arestorides and the father by Oreasis (Oreaside) of Xanthus^[3] and Inachus (probably Iasus). Eurisabe, Anthus, Pelasgus and Agenor were probably Triopas' sons when we took into account that Iasus was always called the brother of Pelasgus and Agenor even though their parentage was differently given.^[4] Alternatively, Triopas was also called the son of Phorbas and Euboea, brother of Arestor and father again of Pelasgus, Iasus, Agenor and a daughter Messene.^[5] In the latter case, among these children, the eldest were the twins Pelasgus and Iasus who were mothered by Sosis.^[6]

Relation! rowspan="2"

Names	Source
Scholia on Euripides	Hyginus	Pausanias
Parentage	Phorbas and Euboea	✓
	Piranthus and Callirhoe		✓
	Phorbas			✓
Siblings	Arestor or Arestorides	✓	✓
	Argus		✓
Wife	Sosis	✓
	Oreaside		✓
Children	Pelasgus	✓	✓	✓
	Iasus	✓		✓
	Xanthus		✓
	Inachus		✓
	Eurisabe		✓
	Anthus		✓
	Agenor		✓	✓
	Messene			✓

Reign

According to Eusebius, Triopas reigned for 46 years, in which Prometheus, Epimetheus, Atlas and Io lived during this time. He succeeded either his father Piranthus or Phorbas to the throne of Argos and was in turn replaced either by his son Iasus or Agenor, or by his grandson Crotopus (son himself of Agenor). Triopas was a contemporary of the autochthon Cecrops, first king of Athens and Marathonius, the thirteenth king of Sicyon.

Chronology of Triopas' reign

Kings of Argos	Regnal Years		Castor	Regnal Years		Syncellus	Regnal Years	Hyginus	Pausanias	Regnal Years	Tatian
Predecessor	1542.5	35 winters & summers	Phorbas	1539.5	25 winters & summers	Phorbas	1575	Peranthus	Peirasus or Phorbas	1550	Phorbas
Triopas	1525	46 winters & summers	Triopas	1527	36 winters & summers	Triopas	1550	Triopas	-do-	1525	Triopas
Successor	1502	21 years	Crotopus	1509	24 winters & summers	Crotopus	1525	Agenor or Iasus	Agenor or Iasus	1500	Crotopus

References

• 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, 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.
• 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.

Notes and References

1. [Eusebius]
2. [Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]
3. [Diodorus Siculus]
4. Hyginus, Fabulae 145
5. Pausanias, 2.16.1; 2.22.1 & 4.1.1.
6. [Scholia]