Lynceus
Lynceus, Lynceus (one of the Argonauts); of Lynceus
Frieze-Dennison Vergil
- I Lyncēus, a, um, adj., = Λύγκειος, of Lynceus, Lyncean, Ov. F. 5, 709.—
- b Transf., sharp-sighted: quis est tam Lynceus, qui in tantis tenebris nihil offendat, Cic. Fam. 9, 2, 2.—
- 2 Lyncī-des, ae, m., a descendant of Lynceus, Ov. M. 5, 99; 4, 767.—
- II A son of Aegyptus, and husband of Hypermnestra, who alone was saved by his wife when all his brothers were put to death, Ov. H. 14, 123; Hyg. Fab. 273.—
- III Son of Thestius, and brother of Althaea, who was slain by Meleager, Hyg. Fab. 173; 174.—
- IV One of the companions of Aeneas; acc. Lyncĕă, Verg. A. 9, 768.
(Λυγκεύς).
1. A son of Aegyptus and Argyphia, and husband of the Danaid Hypermnestra, by whom he became the father of Abas. He was king of Argos, whence that city is called Λυλκήϊον Ἄργος (Apollon. 1.125). His story is, that when the Danaides, by the desire of their father, killed their husbands in one night, Hypermnestra alone spared the life of her husband Lynceus. Danaus thereupon kept his disobedient daughter in strict confinement, but was afterwards prevailed upon to give her to Lynceus, who succeeded him on the throne of Argos (Apollod. 2.1.5, 2.1; Paus. 2.16.1; Ov. Ep. 14). The cause of Hypermnestra sparing Lynceus is not the same in all accounts (Schol. ad Pind. Nem. 10.10, ad Eurip. Hecub. 869, ad Pind. Pyth. 9.200). It is also said that she assisted her husband in his eseape from the vengeance of Danaus, that he fled to Lyrceia (Lynceia), and from thence gave a sign with a torch that he had safely arrived there; Hypermnestra returned the sign from the citadel of Argos, and in commemoration of this event the Argives celebrated every year a festival with torches (Paus. 2.25.4; comp. 2.19.6, 21.1, 20.5). When Lynceus received the news of the death of Danaus from his son Abas, Lynceus gave to Abas the shield of Danaus, which had been dedicated in the temple of Hera, and instituted games in honour of Hera, in which the victor received a shield as his prize (Hyg. Fab. 273). According to some, Lynceus slew Danaus and all the sisters of Hypermnestra, in revenge for his brothers (Schol. ad Eurip. Hecub. 869; Serv. ad Aen. 10.497). Lynceus and his wife were revered at Argos as heroes, and had a common sanctuary, and their tomb was shown there not far from the altar of Zeus Phyxius (Hyg. Fab. 168; Paus. 2.21.2). Their statues stood in the temple at Delphi, as a present from the Argives. (Paus. 10.10.2.)
2. A son of Aphareus and Arene, and brother of Idas, was one of the Argonauts and famous for his keen sight, whence the proverb ὀξύτερον Βλέπειν τοῦ Λυγκέως (Apollod. 1.8.2, 9.16, 3.10.3). He is also mentioned among the Calydonian hunters, and was slain by Pollux (1.8.2, 3.11.2; comp. Pind. N. 10.21, 115, &c.; Apollon. 1.151, &c., 4.1466, &c.; Aristoph. Pl. 210).
There are two other mythical personages of this name. (Hyg. Fab. 173; Apollod. 2.7.8.) [L.S]
(Λυγκεύς), of Samos, the disciple of Theophrastus, and the brother of the historian Duris, was a contemporary of Menander, and his rival in comic poetry. He survived Menander, upon whom he wrote a book. He seems to have been more distinguished as a grammarian and historian than as a comic poet; for, while only one of his comedies is mentioned (the Κένταυρος), we have the titles of the following works of his: -- Αἰγυπτιακά, Ἀπομνημονεύματα, Ἀποφσέγμαρα, Ἐπιστολαί δειπνητικαί, τέχνη ὀψωνητική. (Suid. s.v. Athen. 8.337d., et passim ; Plut. Demetr. 27; Vossius, de Hist. Graec. p. 134, ed. Westermann; Meineke, Hist. Crit. Com. Graec. p. 458; Clinton, Fast. Hell. vol. iii. p. 498.) [P.S]
a contemporary of Propertius, who complains that Lynceus had won the affections of his mistress. (Propert. 3.30.) Lynceus was a poet, and appears to have written a tragedy on the expedition of the Seven against Thebes (Ibid. vv. 39-42.)
- , Λύγκειος, of Lynceus (one of the Argonauts): ensis, O.—Sharp-sighted: quis est tam lynceus, qui, etc.
(Λυγκεύς). (1) The son of Aphareus, was among the hunters of the Caledonian boar, and was also one of the Argonauts. According to the old legend, he was so sharp-sighted as to have been able to see through the earth, and also to distinguish objects at the distance of many miles. He was slain by Pollux. (See Dioscuri.)
(2) One of the fifty sons of Aegyptus. He obtained Hypermnestra for his bride, and was the only one of the fifty whose life was spared by his spouse. (See Danaüs; Hypermnestra.)
(3) A Samian pupil of Theophrastus who was a rival of Menander as a writer of comedy ( Suid. s. v.).
- his sharp sight: Apollod. 3.10.3; Paus. 4.2.7
- in the Argo: Apollod. 1.9.17
- hunts Calydonian boar: Apollod. 1.8.2
- spies Castor in ambush: Apollod. 3.11.2
- wounds Pollux, but is killed by him: Apollod. 1.4.3; Paus. 3.13.1, Paus. 3.14.7, Paus. 4.3.1
- his grave: Paus. 3.13.1
- husband of Hypermnestra: Apollod. 2.1.4
- saved by his wife: Apollod. 2.1.5; Paus. 2.19.6, Paus. 2.21.1
- alleged to have come with his uncle Danaus from Chemmis in Egypt: Hdt. 2.91
- escapes from Danaus to Lyrcea and lights beacon-fire: Paus. 2.25.4
- reigns over Argos: Apollod. 2.1.5; Paus. 2.16.1
- father of Abas by Hypermnestra: Apollod. 2.1.5; Paus. 2.16.2, Paus. 10.35.1
- buried with Hypermnestra: Paus. 2.21.2
- his statue at Delphi: Paus. 10.10.5
- Apollod. 3.4.4