Editing Licymnius

{{short description|Greek mythological character}}
In [[Greek mythology]], '''Licymnius''' ({{IPAc-en|l|ɪ|ˈ|s|ɪ|m|n|i|ə|s}}; {{langx|grc|Λικύμνιος}}) was a good friend of [[Heracles]] and an illegitimate son of [[Electryon]], King of [[Tiryns]] and [[Mycenae]] in the [[Argolid]] (which makes him half-brother of [[Alcmene]], mother of Heracles). His mother is given as [[Mideia]], a [[Phrygians|Phrygian]] woman.<ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], 2.4.5</ref><ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], 3.15.4</ref> One source mentions Alco (Ἀλκώ) as his sister.<ref>[[Scholia]] ad [[Pindar]], ''Olympian Ode'' 11 (10), 76</ref> Licymnios appears in the Iliad (II, 661-663) as an old uncle of Heracles (without other details than that of being a "spawn of Ares - which can be understood figuratively as "warrior")

== Mythology ==
Licymnius was the only one of Electryon's sons to return home after the unsuccessful war against the [[Taphians]] and [[Teleboans]].<ref>Apollodorus, 2.4.6</ref> Licymnius married [[Perimede (mythology)|Perimede]], daughter of [[Alcaeus (mythology)|Alcaeus]] and sister of [[Amphitryon]], and became the father of [[Melas (mythology)|Melas]], Argius<ref>Apollodorus, 2.7.7</ref> and [[Oeonus]].<ref>Apollodorus, 2.7.3</ref><ref>Pindar, ''Olympian Odes'' 10.65 ff</ref> Licymnius accompanied Amphitryon when the latter was expelled from the Argolid and fled to [[Ancient Thebes (Boeotia)|Thebes]].

According to one story, found in the ''[[Iliad]]'', he was accidentally killed in his old age by Heracles' son [[Tlepolemus]], when the latter was beating his servant with a stick and Licymnius ran in between (or else Tlepolemus and Licymnius had a quarrel over a certain matter).<ref>[[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' 2.663</ref><ref>Apollodorus, 2.8.2</ref><ref>[[Diodorus Siculus]], 4.58.7</ref><ref>Pindar, ''Olympian Ode'' 7.29</ref> Pausanias mentions his tomb in Argos.<ref>Pausanias, 2.22.8</ref>

==Notes==
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== References ==

* [[Diodorus Siculus]], ''The Library of History'' translated by [[Charles Henry Oldfather]]. Twelve volumes. [[Loeb Classical Library]]. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. 1989. Vol. 3. Books 4.59&ndash;8. [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/home.html Online version at Bill Thayer's Web Site]
* Diodorus Siculus, ''Bibliotheca Historica. Vol 1-2''. Immanel Bekker. Ludwig Dindorf. Friedrich Vogel. in aedibus B. G. Teubneri. Leipzig. 1888–1890. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0540 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Homer]], [[Iliad|''The Iliad'']] with an English Translation by A.T. Murray, Ph.D. in two volumes. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1924. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0134 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.]
* Homer, ''Homeri Opera'' in five volumes. Oxford, Oxford University Press. 1920. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0133 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], ''Description of Greece'' with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A., in 4 Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+1.1.1 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library]
* Pausanias, ''Graeciae Descriptio.'' ''3 vols''. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903.  [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0159 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Pindar]], ''Odes'' translated by Diane Arnson Svarlien. 1990. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0162 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.]
* Pindar, ''The Odes of Pindar'' including the Principal Fragments with an Introduction and an English Translation by Sir John Sandys, Litt.D., FBA. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1937. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0161 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Pseudo-Apollodorus]], ''The Library'' with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0022 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.] [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0021 Greek text available from the same website].

[[Category:Kings in Greek mythology]]
[[Category:Children of Ares]]
[[Category:Perseids (mythology)]]
[[Category:Mythological Mycenaeans]]
[[Category:Mythological Tirynthians]]

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