Melanthus

Mĕlanthus, i, m., = Μέλανθος.

• A river in Sarmatia, Ov. P. 4, 10, 54.—
• II One of the seamen whom Bacchus changed into dolphins, Ov. M. 3, 617.—
• III The father of the Athenian king Codrus, Vell. 1, 2, 1.— Hence, Mĕlanthēus (quadrisyl.), a, um, adj., of or belonging to a Melanthus: caedes, Ov. Ib. 625.

Melanthus, ī, m. (Μέλανθος), I) ein Fluß Sarmatiens, Ov. ex Pont. 4, 10, 54. – II) König in Elis, dann in Athen, Vater des Kodrus, Vell. 1, 2. § 1. – Dav. Melanthēus, a, um, melanthëisch, caedes, Ov. Ib. 621.

1 Mĕlanthus, ī, m. (Μέλανθος), le Mélanthe [fleuve] : Ov. P. 4, 10, 54.

2 Mĕlanthus, ī, m. , Mélanthus [matelot changé en dauphin par Bacchus] : Ov. M. 3, 617 || roi dʼAthènes, père de Codrus : Vell. 1, 2, 1.

Melanthus

(Μέλανθος).

1. One of the Tyrrhenian pirates, who wanted to carry off young Bacchus, but were metamorphosed into dolphins. (Ov. Met. 3.671, &c.)

Melanthus

2. One of the sons of Laocoon. (Serv. ad Aen. 2.211.) In Lycophron (767) the name occurs as a surname of Poseidon. [L.S]

Melanthus

or Mela'nthius (Μέλανθος, Μελάνθιος), one of the Neleidae, and king of Messenia, whence he was driven out by the Heracleidae on their conquest of the Peloponnesus, and, following the instructions of the Delphic oracle, took refuge in Attica. In a war between the Athenians and Boeotiaus, Xanthus, the Boeotian king, challenged Thymoetes, king of Athens and the last of the Theseidae, to single combat. Thymoetes declined the challenge on the ground of age and infirmity. So ran the story, which strove afterwards to disguise the violent change of dynasty; and Melanthus undertook it on condition of being rewarded with the throne in the event of success. He slew Xanthus, and became king, to the exclusion of the line of Theseus. According to Pausanias, the conqueror of Xanthus was Andropompus, the father of Melanthus; according to Aristotle, it was Codrus, his son. To the period of the reign of Melanthus Pausanias refers the expulsion of the Ionians from Aegialus by the Achaeans, and their settlement at Athens as a place of refuge. (Her. 1.147, 5.65; Paus. 2.18, 4.5, 7.1, 2; Strab. viii. p.359, ix. p. 393, xiv. p. 633; Con. Narr. 39; Aristot. Pol. 5.10, ed. Bekk.; Schol. ad Aristoph. Ach. 146, Pac. 855; Suid. s. v. Ἀπατούρια; Dict. of Ant. s. v. Ἀπατούρια. [E.E]

Melanthus

(Μέλανθος). A king of Messenia driven out by the Heraclidae (Herod.i. 147).

Melanthus Melanthus, father of Codrus

• Hdt. 1.147, Hdt. 5.65

Melanthus(2), son of Andropompus

• expelled from Messenia by Heraclids: Paus. 2.18.8
• becomes king of Athens: Paus. 1.3.3, Paus. 2.18.9, Paus. 7.1.9
• descended from Messenians of Pylus: Paus. 7.2.3
• father of Codrus: Paus. 1.19.5, Paus. 7.25.2
• ancestor of Medontids: Paus. 4.5.10