Pelasgus#Arcadian Pelasgus

In Greek mythology, Pelasgus ({{langx|grc|Πελασγός}}, Pelasgós means "ancient"Robert Graves. The Greek Myths, section 12 s.v. Hera and her Children) was the eponymous ancestor of the Pelasgians, the mythical inhabitants of Greece who established the worship of the Dodonaean Zeus, Hephaestus, the Cabeiri, and other divinities. In the different parts of the country once occupied by Pelasgians, there existed different traditions as to the origin and connection of Pelasgus. Some ancient Greeks believed that he was the first man.

Inachid Pelasgoí of Argos

: In Argos, several Inachid kings were called Pelasgus:

Pelasgus, brother to Apis both sons of Phoroneus, is said to have founded the city of Argos in Peloponnesus, to have taught the people agriculture, and to have received Demeter, on her wanderings, at Argos, where his tomb was shown in later times.Pausanias, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+1.14.2&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Pelasgus 1.14.2] & [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+2.22.1&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Pelasgus 2.22.1]; Scholia on Euripides, Orestes 920; Eustathius on Homer, p. 385
Pelasgus, son of Triopas and Sois, and a brother of Iasus, Agenor, and Xanthus.Hyginus, Fabulae [https://topostext.org/work/206#145 145] According to Greek legends, he founded the sanctuary of Demeter in Argos and for this reason she was worshipped at this temple under the name Pelasgian Demeter.[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0104%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DP%3Aentry+group%3D13%3Aentry%3Dpelasga-bio-1 A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, Pelasga]
Pelasgus, also known as Gelanor, son of SthenelasPausanias, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.2.16.1&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Gelanor 2.16.1] or Arestor.

Arcadian Pelasgus

Pelasgus, either an autochthon,Hesiod in Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+2.1.1&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Pelasgus 2.1.1]; Pausanias, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+2.14.4&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Pelasgus 2.14.4] & [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+8.1.4&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Pelasgus 8.1.4] or a son of Zeus by NiobePseudo-Clement, Recognitions [https://web.archive.org/web/20040822053941/http://compassionatespirit.com/Recognitions/Book-10.htm 10.21] (and in the latter case brother of Argus) or of Arestor (son of IasusScholion on Euripides, Orestes 1646 or EcbasusStephanus of Byzantium, s.v. [https://topostext.org/work/241#P508.18 Parrasia]). The Oceanide Meliboea,Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+3.8.1&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Pelasgus 3.8.1]; Tzetzes ad Lycophron, [https://topostext.org/work/860#481 481]{{AI-generated source|date=November 2024}} the nymph Cyllene,Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+3.8.1&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Pelasgus 3.8.1]; Scholia ad Euripides, Orestes 1642 or Deianeira,Dionysius of Halicarnassus, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Dionysius_of_Halicarnassus/1B*.html#11.2 1.11.2] & [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Dionysius_of_Halicarnassus/1B*.html#13.1 1.13.1] became by him the mother of LycaonHyginus, Fabulae [https://topostext.org/work/206#225 225] and Temenus.Pausanias, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+8.22.2&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Pelasgus 8.22.2] According to Hellenistic version of the myth, Pelasgus coming from Argos, civilized the hitherto savage natives of Arcadia and founded the city of Parrhasia.Scholia ad Euripides, Orestes 1646; Stephanus of Byzantium, s.v. [https://topostext.org/work/241#P508.18 Parrasia]{{Cite book |last=Fowler, Robert L. |title=Early Greek Mythography: Volume II Commentary |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2013 |isbn=978-0-19-814741-1 |location=Oxford, United Kingdom |pages=107}}
Pelasgus, son of Arcas.Pausanias, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+2.14.4&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Pelasgus 2.14.4]

Thessalian Pelasgoí

Pelasgus, an Argive prince as son of Poseidon and Larissa, daughter of the Pelasgus, son of Triopas. Together with his brothers Phthius and Achaeus, they left Achaean Argos with a Pelasgian contingent for Thessaly. They then established a colony on the said country naming it after themselves: Pelasgiotis, Phthiotis and Achaea.Dionysius of Halicarnassus, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Dionysius_of_Halicarnassus/1B*.html#17.3 1.17.3] Pelasgus was also the founder of the Thessalian Argos.Eustathius on Homer, p. 321Clinton, Fast. Hell. vol. 1. p. 9 He was also said to be the father of Phrastor by the nymph Menippe.Dionysius of Halicarnassus, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Dionysius_of_Halicarnassus/1B*.html#28.3 1.28.3] Pelasgus is also said to have been the ancestor of the Tyrrhenians through the following lineage: Pelasgus - Phrastor - Amyntor - Teutamides - Nanas. In the latter's reign, the Pelasgians were believed to have left Greece and to have settled in a new land that later came to be named Tyrrhenia.Hellanicus' Phoronis as cited in Dionysius of Halicarnassus, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Dionysius_of_Halicarnassus/1B*.html#28.3 1.28.3] (Hellanicus fr. 4 Fowler, pp. 156–176)
Pelasgus, father of Chlorus and grandfather of HaemonStephanus of Byzantium, s.v. Haimonia or the father of Haemon and grandfather of Thessalus instead.Scholia on Apollonius Rhodius, 3.1089 He may be the same man with the above Pelasgus.

Homeric Pelasgus

In the Iliad, Homer characterizes Pelasgus as brave, and lists the Pelasgians as allies of the Trojans, fighting against the tribes of Greeks in the Trojan War.{{Cite book |last=Homer |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/6130/old/6130-pdf.pdf |title=The Illiad of Homer |date=September 2006 |pages=312, 525 |translator-last=Pope |translator-first=Alexander}}
Pelasgus, father of Hippothous, one of the Trojan leaders who fought alongside the Dardanians and other allies defending the walls of the city of Troy.Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+Epit.+E.3.35&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Pelasgus E.3.35] In some accounts Hippothous' father was called Lethus, son of the above Teutamides.Homer, Iliad [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0012.tlg001.perseus-eng1:2.819-2.857 2.843]

Other character

Pelasgus, also called Pelagon,Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+3.12.6&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Pelagon 3.12.6] son of the river-god Asopus by the naiad Metope, daughter of the river Ladon.Diodorus Siculus, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/4D*.html#72.1 4.72.1] He was brother to Aegina, Salamis, Thebe, Corcyra, Tanagra, Thespia, Cleone, Sinope, Peirene, Asopis, Ornea, Chalcis, Harpina, Ismene, and Ismenus. His sisters were abducted by various gods as punishment for their father's deed.Diodorus Siculus, [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/4D*.html#61.1 4.61.1] & [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/4D*.html#72.1 4.72.1]; Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+1.9.3&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Asopus 1.9.3], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+2.1.3&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Asopus 2.1.3] & [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+3.12.6&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Pelagon 3.12.6]

Notes

References

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