Hylas
- a beautiful youth of Oechalia (or Argos), companion of Hercules in the Argonautic expedition, who was carried off by the nymphs, and long sought for by Hercules in vain, Prop. 1, 20, 6; Ov. A. A. 2, 110; Juv. 1, 164; Val. Fl. 3, 596; Hyg. Fab. 14; Verg. E. 6, 44 (where, by poet. license, the voc. is scanned Hylā, Hȳl', like the Gr. Ἆρες, Ἄρες, Mart. 9, 11, 15).
(Ὕλας), a son of Theiodamas, king of the Dryopes, by the nymph Menodice (Apollon. 1.1213; Hyg. Fab. 14, 271; Propert. 1.20, 6); or, according to others, a son of Heracles, Euphemus, or Ceyx. (Schol. ad Theocrit. 13.7; Ant. Lib. 26.) He was the favourite of Heracles, who, after having killed his father, Theiodamas, took him with him when he joined the expedition of the Argonauts. (Apollon. 1.131; Orph. Argon. 221, §c.) When the Argonauts landed on the coast of Mysia, Hylas went out to fetch water for Heracles; but when he came to a well, his beauty excited the love of the Naiads, who drew him down into the water, and he was never seen again. (Comp. V. Fl. 3.545; Orph. Argon. 637, &c.; Theocrit. 13.45, &c.) Heracles himself endeavoured to trace him, and called out his name, but in vain; and the voice of Hylas was heard from the bottom of the well only like a faint echo, whence some say that he was actually metamorphosed into an echo. While Heracles was engaged in seeking his favourite, the Argonauts sailed away, leaving Heracles and his companion, Polyphemus, behind. He threatened to ravage the country of the Mysians unless they would find out where Hylas was, either dead or alive. (Apollon. Rhod, 1.1344.) Hence, says the poet, the inhabitants of Cios (Prusa) still continue to seek for Hylas: namely, the inhabitants of Prusa celebrated an annual festival to the divine youth Hylas, and on that occasion the people of the neighbourhood roamed over the mountains calling out the name of Hylas. It was undoubtedly this riotous ceremony that gave rise to the story about Hylas. (Theocrit. 13.72; Strab. p. 564.) [L.S]
a famous pantomime, who acquired a great reputation at Rome in the time of Augustus. He was a disciple of Pylades, the greatest master in his art at the time; but Hylas showed such talent and skill, that the Roman public could not decide which of the two was the greater. (Suet. Aug. 45; Macr. 2.7.) [L.S]
(Ὕλας). Son of Theodamas, king of the Dryopes, and the nymph Menodicé. He was a favourite of Heracles, whom he accompanied on the Argonautic expedition. When Heracles disembarked upon the coast of Mysia to cut himself a fresh oar, Hylas followed him to draw water from a fountain, whose nymphs drew the youth down into the water. The Argonauts having gone on their way, Heracles, with his sister's son Polyphemus, remained behind to search for him. On failing to find him, he did not leave until he had taken hostages from the Mysians, and made them promise that they would produce the boy either dead or alive. After that, the inhabitants of Cios (founded by Polyphemus and afterwards called Prusias) continually sought for Hylas, and sacrificed to him every year at the fountain, thrice calling him by name. The story of Hylas suggested a song of Thomas Moore's, and is the subject of a poem, Hylas, by Bayard Taylor. See Calverly's translation of the thirteenth idyl of Theocritus.
- minion of Herakles, ravished by water nymphs: Apollod. 1.9.18