Editing Idas (son of Aphareus) (section)

=== Contest for Marpessa's hand ===
When Idas came from [[Messenia]] to ask for the hand of Marpessa, daughter of [[Evenus (mythology)|Evenus]]. The maiden's father refused his request because he wanted his daughter to remain a virgin. Idas went to his father Poseidon and begged for the use of a winged [[chariot]].<ref name="Myths p. 90-99">[[Jeanie Lang]]. ''A Book of Myths'', p. 90-99.</ref> Poseidon consented to his use of the chariot, and Idas stole Marpessa away from a band of dancers and fled to [[Pleuron, Aetolia|Pleuron]] in [[Aetolia]].<ref>[[Bacchylides|Baccchylides]], ''Dithyrambs'' 6.1</ref> Her father, after chasing the couple for a long time and realizing he could not catch up to them, killed his horses and then drowned himself in a nearby river Lycormas and became immortal. The river was named later after him.<ref name=":1">Homer, ''Iliad'' 9.557, Apollodorus, 1.7.8; [[Propertius]], ''Elegies'' 1.2'';'' [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], 4.2.7 & 5.18.2; [[Plutarch]],'' Parallela minora'' 40'';'' Pseudo-Plutarch, ''De fluviis'' 1.8</ref>

Apollo also pursued them in his own chariot, wanting Marpessa for himself.<blockquote>''Idas that was mightiest of men that were then upon the face of earth;<br>who also took his bow to face the king Phoebus Apollo<br>for the sake of the fair-ankled maid [i.e. Marpessa].<ref>Homer, ''Iliad'' 9.557 ''{{PD-notice}}''</ref>''</blockquote>As the two fought for the girl's hand, [[Zeus]] eventually intervened and commanded Marpessa to choose between her mortal lover and the god.<ref name="Myths p. 90-99"/><ref>Homer, ''Iliad'' 9.557; Apollodorus, 1.7.9 & 1.8.2; Plutarch, ''Parallela minora'' 40'';'' Propertius, ''Elegies'' 1.2</ref> Marpessa chose Idas, reasoning to Apollo that had she chosen the god, she would have eventually grown old and lost his affections:
<blockquote>''And thou beautiful god, in that far time,<br>When in thy setting sweet thou gazest down<br>On this grey head, wilt thou remember then<br>That once I pleased thee, that I once was young?<ref>[[Stephen Phillips]]. ''Marpessa (poem)''.</ref>''</blockquote>