Mimas (Giant)
{{Short description|Giant in Greek mythology}}
In Greek mythology, Mimas (Ancient Greek: Μίμας) was one of the Gigantes (Giants), the offspring of Gaia, born from the blood of the castrated Uranus.For the birth of the Gigantes see Hesiod, Theogony [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Hes.+Th.+185 185]. Hyginus, Fabulae [http://www.theoi.com/Text/HyginusFabulae1.html Preface] gives Tartarus as the father of the Giants.
Mythology
According to the mythographer Apollodorus, he was killed during the Gigantomachy, the cosmic battle of the Giants with the Twelve Olympians, by Hephaestus with "missiles of red-hot metal" from his forge.Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+1.6.2 1.6.2]. In Euripides' Ion (c. 410 BC), the chorus, describing the wonders of the late sixth century Temple of Apollo at Delphi, tell of seeing depicted there the Gigantomachy showing, among other things, Zeus burning Mimas "to ashes" with his thunderbolt.Gantz, p. 448; Euripides, Ion [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Eur.+Ion+206&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0110 205–218]. In the Argonautica by Apollonius of Rhodes, and the Gigantomachia by Claudian, Mimas was killed by Ares (or in Claudian's case by Ares' Roman counterpart Mars).Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica [https://archive.org/stream/argonautica00apoluoft#page/276/mode/2up 3.1225–7 (pp. 276–277)]; Claudian, Gigantomachia [https://archive.org/stream/claudia02clau#page/286/mode/2up 85–91 (pp. 286–287)]. Mimas is also mentioned in the company of other Giants, by the Latin writers HoraceHorace, Odes [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Hor.+Od.+3.4 3.4.49–51]; Lyne, [https://books.google.com/books?id=SEZARFIJqPwC&pg=PA51 p. 51]. and Seneca.Seneca, Hercules [http://www.loebclassics.com/view/seneca_younger-hercules/2002/pb_LCL062.127.xml?result=16&rskey=CRLRlQ 976–981 (pp. 126–127)].
A fragment of an Attic black-figure dinos by Lydos (Athens Akropolis 607) dating from the second quarter of the sixth century, which depicted the Gigantomachy, shows Aphrodite with shield and spear battling a Giant also with shield (displaying a large bee) and spear, whose name is inscribed (retrograde) as "Mimos", possibly in error for "Mimas".Gantz, p. 451; Beazley, [https://books.google.com/books?id=rrhKNJaNBgAC&pg=PA39 p. 39]; Arafat, p. 16; Beazley Archive [http://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/record/F8C80F34-7A75-4712-8FD7-E265EFE5492C 310147]; LIMC [http://ark.dasch.swiss/ark:/72163/080e-7426c59aa3230-4 9257 (Gigantes 105)]: [https://www.iconiclimc.ch/limc/imageview.php?image=98f30cb6367846eb88c05aeef168b30d&total=14&term=%22Gigantes+105%22 image 1 of 14].
He was said to be buried under Prochyte, one of the Phlegraean Islands off the coast of Naples.Silius Italicus, Punica [https://archive.org/stream/punicasi02siliuoft#page/156/mode/2up 12.143–151 (pp. 156–159)] Claudian mentions Mimas as one of several vanquished Giants whose weapons, as spoils of war, hung on trees in a wood near the summit of Mount Etna.Claudian, Rape of Proserpine [https://archive.org/stream/claudia02clau#page/370/mode/2up 3.332–356 (pp. 368–371)].
Mimas is possibly the same as the Giant named Mimon on the Gigantomachy depicted on the north frieze of the Siphnian Treasury at Delphi (c. 525 BC),Brinkmann, N14 pp. 109, 124–125. and a late fifth century BC cup from Vulci (Berlin F2531) shown fighting Ares.Arafat, p. 16; Beazley Archive [http://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/record/46E5041B-1D5E-482A-8D61-D896ECDDF3DA 220533]: [http://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/XDB/ASP/recordDetailsLarge.asp?recordCount=1&id={46E5041B-1D5E-482A-8D61-D896ECDDF3DA}&fileName=IMAGES200%2FGER22%2FCVA%2EGER22%2E1048%2E1%2F&returnPage=&start= detail showing Mimon and Ares]; Cook, [https://archive.org/stream/zeusstudyinancie03cook#page/n102/mode/2up p. 56], [https://archive.org/stream/zeusstudyinancie03cook#page/n103/mode/2up Plate VI].
Namesake
In 1847, the mythological Giant inspired the name of the closest major moon to Saturn.
See also
Notes
{{reflist}}
References
- 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. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text;jsessionid=C431BA809CA4DEA22A15DA9C666F3400?doc=Perseus%3atext%3a1999.01.0022%3atext%3dLibrary Online version at the Perseus Digital Library].
- Apollonius of Rhodes, Apollonius Rhodius: the Argonautica, translated by Robert Cooper Seaton, W. Heinemann, 1912. [https://archive.org/stream/argonautica00apoluoft#page/n5/mode/2up Internet Archive]
- Arafat, K. W., Classical Zeus: A Study in Art and Literature, Clarendon Press, Oxford 1990. {{ISBN|0-19-814912-3}}.
- Beazley, John D, The Development of Attic Black-Figure, Revised edition, University of California Press, 1986. {{ISBN|9780520055933}}. [http://ark.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft1f59n77b/ Online version at UC Press E-Books Collection]
- Brinkmann, Vinzenz, "[http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/bch_0007-4217_1985_num_109_1_1819 Die aufgemalten Namensbeischriften an Nord- und Ostfries des Siphnierschatzhauses]", Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique 109 77-130 (1985).
- Claudian, Claudian with an English translation by Maurice Platnauer, Volume II, Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd.. 1922. [https://archive.org/stream/claudia02clau#page/n7/mode/2up Internet Archive]. {{ISBN|978-0674991514}}.
- Cook, Arthur Bernard, Zeus: A Study in Ancient Religion, Volume III: Zeus God of the Dark Sky (Earthquakes, Clouds, Wind, Dew, Rain, Meteorites), Part I: Text and Notes, Cambridge University Press 1940. [https://archive.org/stream/zeusstudyinancie03cook#page/n5/mode/2up Internet Archive]
- Euripides, Ion, translated by Robert Potter in The Complete Greek Drama, edited by Whitney J. Oates and Eugene O'Neill, Jr. Volume 1. New York. Random House. 1938.
- 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).
- Hesiod, Theogony, in The Homeric Hymns and Homerica with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White, Cambridge, MA.,Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0130%3Acard%3D1 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library].
- Horace, The Odes and Carmen Saeculare of Horace. John Conington. trans. London. George Bell and Sons. 1882. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0025%3Abook%3D1%3Apoem%3D1 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library].
- Hyginus, Gaius Julius, [http://www.theoi.com/Text/HyginusFabulae1.html The Myths of Hyginus]. Edited and translated by Mary A. Grant, Lawrence: University of Kansas Press, 1960.
- Lyne, R. O. A. M., Horace: Behind the Public Poetry, Yale University Press, 1995. {{ISBN|9780300063226}}.
- Seneca. Tragedies, Volume I: Hercules. Trojan Women. Phoenician Women. Medea. Phaedra. Edited and translated by John G. Fitch. Loeb Classical Library 62. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2002. {{ISBN|978-0-674-99602-1}}.
- Silius Italicus, Punica with an English translation by J. D. Duff, Volume II, Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1934. [https://archive.org/stream/punicasi02siliuoft#page/n7/mode/2up Internet Archive]
{{Gigantes}}