Akrisios
Akrisios ( ancient Greek Ἀκρίσιος ; Latin Acrisius ) is in Greek mythology a king in Argos , the great-grandson of Danaos , grandson of Hypermestra and Lynkeus , son of Abas and Aglaia , twin brother of Proitos , father of Danaë and thus grandfather of Perseus .
The oracle
Since he had only one daughter with Aganippe or Eurydice , he consulted an oracle who prophesied that he would have no son and would die at the hand of a grandson. Therefore he locked his daughter Danae with her wet nurse in an underground, bronze room, cellar vault or tower. Nevertheless, Zeus recognized her beauty and came to her in the form of a rain of gold trickling through the roof, whereby Perseus was begotten. When Akrisios noticed that his daughter had become pregnant anyway or, according to another story, had already given birth to Perseus, he had her wet nurse killed and forced Danae at the altar of Zeus to confess the father's name - he feared and hoped at the same time, his suspicion to find confirmed. However, when his daughter said Zeus was her father, he did not believe her. Akrisios let Danae and Perseus set out on the sea in a box or basket ( ark ). However, with the help of Poseidon , Zeus prevented both of them from perishing.
It is also said that Danaë was seduced by Proitus. Akrisios had already been fighting with Proitos in the womb. They later fought for the inheritance of Abas, the battle being a draw. Another version says that Proitos was initially defeated and went to Asia Minor and returned with the help of his father-in-law and an army - although in this case too the battle was a draw. The two eventually shared the empire. Akrisios got Argos and the surrounding area, Proitos Tiryns and the rest of the land.
The fulfillment of the oracle
The saying of the oracle was fulfilled years later when Perseus accidentally met Grandfather Akrisios during a fighting game with a discus on his way home from his adventures in Larisa . He is buried by Perseus in deep mourning, Perseus himself returns all magical objects he has won to the gods.
According to another version, however, Polydectes had married Danae on Seriphos . Akrisios now tried to kill Perseus there with his own hands, but was prevented from doing so by Polydectes. This now left everyone - more noble than we know him from the other stories! - swear that no one should ever threaten the other's life again. However, a storm prevented the departure of Akrisios. Polydectes died, and during the funeral ceremonies Perseus threw this discus, which also happened to kill Akrisus here.
A third variant tells that Perseus wanted to see his grandfather and traveled to Argos. When Akrisios found out about this, he fled to King Teutamidus of Larisa. However, Teutamidos died and a pentathlon was held at the funeral , in which Perseus also took part. While throwing a disc, however, he accidentally hit Akrisios on the foot, who died of the injury.
Akrisios is also said to have ordered the amphictyony of Delphi and determined which cities were allowed to attend the meetings. Virgil calls him an ancestor of the turn .
swell
- Library of Apollodorus 2, 24-26; 2.34-35; 2, 47-48; 3, 116.
- Herodotus , Histories , 6, 53--54.
- Hesiod , Ehoien , 129 , 2-17 ; 135, b; 135, 2.
- Ovid , Metamorphoses , 4, 607-616.
- Pausanias , travels in Greece , 2, 16, 1 - 3; 2, 23, 7; 2, 25, 7; 3, 13, 8; 10, 5, 11.
- Strabon , Geographica , 420; 487.
- Virgil , Catalepton , 9, 33.
- Virgil, Aeneid , 7, 372.
literature
- Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher: Akrisios . In: Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher (Hrsg.): Detailed lexicon of Greek and Roman mythology . Volume 1,1, Leipzig 1886, Col. 213 f. ( Digitized version ).
- Johannes Toepffer : Akrisios 1 . In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume I, 1, Stuttgart 1893, Col. 1196 f.
Web links
- Akrisios in the Greek Myth Index (English)
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Proitus |
King of Argos 14th century BC Chr. (Fictional chronology) |
Perseus |