Phorbas (king of Argos)
{{Other uses|Phorbas}}
In Greek mythology, Phorbas{{Pronunciation needed|date=March 2024}} (Ancient Greek: Φόρβας, gen. Φόρβαντος) or Phorbaceus{{Pronunciation needed|date=March 2024}} was the sixth king of Argos.Augustine, City of God [http://topostext.org/work.php?work_id=235#18.8 18.8]; Eusebius, Chronography [http://topostext.org/work.php?work_id=531 66]; Tatian, Address to the Greeks [http://topostext.org/work.php?work_id=546 39]
Family
Phorbas was given two different parentage and progeny by various sources. According to scholia on Euripides, his parents were Criasus and Melantho (MelantomiceAugustine, City of God [http://topostext.org/work.php?work_id=235#18.8 18.8]), brother of Ereuthalion and Cleoboea and father of Arestor and Triopas by Euboea.Scholia ad Euripides, Phoenician Women 1116; ad Orestes 932 While Pausanias stated that Phorbas was the son of Argus, brother of Peirasus and possibly Tiryns and Epidaurus as they were sons of Argus.Pausanias, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.%202.16.1&lang=original 2.16.1] His mother in the latter case maybe Evadne, daughter of river god Strymon. In which case, both authors agree that he had a son Triopas who also became a king after him. Another son, Pellen (Pelles) was credited to be the founder of the city of Pellene in Achaea.Apollonius Rhodius, 1.176; Pausanias, 7.26.12
| class="wikitable"
|+Comparative table of Phorbas' family ! rowspan="3" |Relation ! rowspan="3" |Names ! colspan="2" |Sources |
| Euripides
! rowspan="2" |Pausanias |
|---|
| Sch. on PW |
| rowspan="2" |Parents
|Criasus and Melantho |✓ | |
| Argus
| |✓ |
| rowspan="5" |Sibling
|Ereuthalion |✓ | |
| Cleoboea
|✓ | |
| Peirasus
| |✓ |
| Tiryns
| |✓ |
| Epidaurus
| |✓ |
| Wife
|Euboea |✓ | |
| rowspan="3" |Children
|Arestor |✓ | |
| Triopas
|✓ |✓ |
| Pellen
| |✓ |
Reign
According to Tatiānus, he may have been a king of Argos himself, succeeding either Argus or Criasus.Tatian, Address to the Greeks [http://topostext.org/work.php?work_id=546 39] Eusebius included him in the list of kings of Argos, in which he reigned for thirty five years and was succeeded by Triopas. He was a contemporary of Actaeus, the first king of Attica who named the country after himself, Actaea.Eusebius, Preparation for the Gospel [http://topostext.org/work.php?work_id=230#10.9.18 10.11.2] During Phorbas' reign, Cecrops Diphyes became the first king of the Athenians.Eusebius, Chronography [http://topostext.org/work.php?work_id=531 66]{{s-start}}
{{s-reg}}
{{succession box
| title = King of Argos
| years =
| before = Criasus
| after = Triopas
}}
{{s-end}}
| class="wikitable"
! colspan="11" |PHORBAS' CHRONOLOGY OF REIGN ACCORDING TO VARIOUS SOURCES |
| Kings of Argos
! colspan="2" |Regnal Years !Castor ! colspan="2" |Regnal Years !Syncellus !Regnal Years !Tatian !Regnal Years !Pausanias |
|---|
| Precessor
|1569.5 |54 winters & summers |Criasus |1567 |54 winters & summers |Criasus |1575 |Criasus |1600 |Argus |
| Phorbas
|1542.5 |35 winters & summers |Phorbas |1539.5 |25 winters & summers |Phorbas |1550 |Phorbas |1575 |Phorbas |
| Successor
|1525 |46 winters & summers |Triopas |1527 |36 winters & summers |Triopas |1525 |Triopas |1550 |Triopas |
Notes
{{reflist}}
References
- Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica translated by Robert Cooper Seaton (1853-1915), R. C. Loeb Classical Library Volume 001. London, William Heinemann Ltd, 1912. [https://topostext.org/work/126 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
- Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica. George W. Mooney. London. Longmans, Green. 1912. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0227 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. {{ISBN|0-674-99328-4}}. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0160 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library]
- Pausanias, Graeciae Descriptio. 3 vols. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0159 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
- William Smith. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology s.v. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0104%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DP%3Aentry+group%3D27%3Aentry%3Dphorbas-bio-2 Phorbas]