Editing Epaphus (section)

== Mythology ==

=== Birth ===
The name/word Epaphus means "Touch". This refers to the manner in which he was conceived, by the touch of Zeus' hand.<ref>Aeschylus, ''Suppliant Women'' 315; Aeschylus, ''[[Prometheus Bound]]'' 850–852</ref> He was born in [[Euboea]], in the cave [[Boösaule]] according to [[Strabo]]<ref>[[Strabo]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0198%3Abook%3D10%3Achapter%3D1%3Asection%3D3 10.1.3]</ref> or according to others, in Egypt, on the river [[Nile]],<ref>Hyginus, ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#145 145]</ref> after the long wanderings of his mother. He was then concealed by the [[Korybantes|Curetes]], by the request of [[Hera]], but Io sought and afterward found him in [[Syria]] where he was nursed by the wife of the king of [[Byblos|Byblus]].<ref name=":1">Apollodorus, [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0548.tlg001.perseus-eng1:2.1.3 2.1.3]</ref>

=== Phaethon ===
Epaphus was also a contemporary and the rival of [[Phaethon]], son of [[Helios]] and [[Clymene (mythology)|Clymene]]. He criticized his heraldry saying, "Poor, demented fellow, what will you not credit if your mother speaks, you are so puffed up with the fond conceit of your imagined sire, the Lord of Day."<ref>Ovid, ''Metamorphoses'' 1.749–743</ref> This prompted Phaethon to undertake his fateful journey in his father's chariot of the sun.

=== Reign and death ===
Epaphus is regarded in the myths as the founder of [[Memphis, Egypt]].<ref>Hyginus, ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#149 149] & [https://topostext.org/work/206#275 275]</ref> Hera being envious that her husband's bastard ruled such a great kingdom,<ref>[[Statius]], ''[[Thebaid (Latin poem)|Thebaid]]'' 7.186</ref> saw to it that Epaphus should be killed while hunting.<ref>Hyginus, ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#150 150]</ref>

[[David Rohl]] identifies Epaphus with the Hyksos pharaoh [[Apepi (pharaoh)|Apophis]].<ref>David Rohl: ''The Lords of Avaris''. London, Arrow Books 2007</ref>