Editing Polyidus (son of Coeranus)

{{Short description|Seer in Greek mythology}}
{{Other uses|Polyidus (mythology)}}

In [[Greek mythology]], '''Polyidus''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|p|ɒ|l|i|ˈ|aɪ|d|ə|s}}; {{langx|grc|Πολύειδος|Polúeidos|he who sees many things}}) also known as '''Polyeidus''', is the son of [[Coeranus (mythology)|Coeranus]], and a famous seer from [[Argos, Peloponnese|Argos]]<ref>Tzetzes, ''Ad Lycophronem'' [https://topostext.org/work/860#811 811]</ref> or [[Corinth]].<ref>Cicero, ''On Divination'' [https://topostext.org/work/562#1.89 1.89]</ref>

==Family==
Polyidus was a descendant of another renowned seer, [[Melampus]], king of Argos. Given that Melampus had two sons, [[Abas (mythology)|Abas]] and [[Mantius]], different sources made Coeranus, father of Polyidus, son or grandson of either of the two. Briefly, the two alternate lineages were:

# Melampus– Abas– Coeranus– Polyidus<ref name="Pausanias">[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], 1.43.5</ref>
# Melampus– Mantius– [[Cleitus (mythology)|Cleitus]]– Coeranus– Polyidus<ref name="Scholia on Homer">[[Pherecydes of Athens|Pherecydes]] in [[Scholia]] ad [[Homer]], ''[[Iliad]]'' [https://archive.org/details/scholiagraecain01homegoog/page/46/mode/1up?view=theater 13.663]</ref>

According to a [[scholia]]st on [[Homer]]'s ''[[Iliad]]'', Polyidus had two sons, [[Euchenor]] and [[Cleitus (mythology)|Cleitus]], by [[Eurydameia]], daughter of [[Phyleus]].<ref name="Scholia on Homer" /> [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]] makes Polyeidus the father of Coeranus, [[Manto (mythology)|Manto]] and [[Astycrateia]], and calls Euchenor his grandson through Coeranus.<ref name="Pausanias" />

== Mythology ==
===Glaucus===
The best known myth concerning Polyidus is the one that deals with him saving the life of [[Glaucus (son of Minos)|Glaucus]], which runs as follows.<ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], 3.3.1–2; [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''Fabulae'' 136</ref> One day, [[Glaucus (son of Minos)|Glaucus]], son of King [[Minos]] and Queen [[Pasiphaë]] of [[Crete]], was playing with a [[mouse]] and suddenly disappeared. The [[Kuretes]] told Minos: "A marvelous creature has been born amongst you: whoever finds the true likeness for this creature will also find the child."

They interpreted this to refer to a newborn calf in Minos' herd. Three times a day, the calf changed color from white to red to black. Polyidus ( or [[Asclepius]], god of medicine) observed the similarity to the ripening of the fruit of the [[mulberry]], and Minos sent him to find Glaucus.

Searching for the boy, Polyidus saw an [[owl]] driving [[bee]]s away from a wine-cellar in Minos' palace. Inside the wine-cellar was a cask of honey, with Glaucus dead inside. Minos demanded Glaucus be brought back to life and ordered Polyidus to be entombed with the body. When a [[snake]] appeared nearby, Polyidus killed it immediately. Another snake came for the first, and after seeing its mate dead, the second serpent left and returned with an [[herb]] which then brought the first snake back to life. With the herb Polyidus resurrected the child.

Minos refused to let Polyidus leave Crete until he taught Glaucus the art of [[divination]]. Polyidus did so, but then, at the last second before leaving to Argos, he asked Glaucus to spit in his mouth. Glaucus did so and forgot everything he had been taught.

The story of Polyidus and Glaucus was the subject of a lost play of [[Euripides]], his ''Bellerophon'', and of one by [[Aeschylus]], and Sophocles' lost ''The Mantises''. Previously unknown fragments of Euripedes' ''Polyidus'' were found in 2022 and publicized in 2024.<ref name="m362">{{cite web | title=Uncovered Euripides fragments are 'kind of a big deal' | website=Colorado Arts and Sciences Magazine | date=1 August 2024 | url=https://www.colorado.edu/asmagazine/2024/08/01/uncovered-euripides-fragments-are-kind-big-deal | access-date=10 August 2024}}</ref>

===Other stories===
It is related that Polyidus advised [[Bellerophon]] as to how to find and tame [[Pegasus]], in order to kill the [[Chimera (creature)|Chimera]].<ref>Scholia ad [[Pindar]], ''Olympian Ode'' 13.75</ref>

Polyidus was said to have come to [[Megara]] to purify [[Alcathous, son of Pelops]], for the accidental murder of the latter's son Callipolis. He also built the sanctuary of [[Dionysus#Epithets|Dionysus Patroos]] (Paternal), and dedicated a wooden image that in Pausanias' day was covered up except the face, which alone was exposed. The tomb of his two daughters was shown at Megara.<ref name="Pausanias" />

Polyidus also appears in one of the stories collected in [[Pseudo-Plutarch]]'s ''On Rivers'': he explains to [[Lysippe]], mother of [[Teuthras]], the source of her son's insanity.<ref>[[Pseudo-Plutarch]], ''De fluviis'' 21.4</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

== References ==
* [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|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. ISBN 0-674-99135-4. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0022 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0021 Greek text available from the same website].
* [[Gaius Julius Hyginus]], ''Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus'' translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies. [https://topostext.org/work/206 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
* [[Plutarch|Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus]], ''Morals'' translated from the Greek by several hands. Corrected and revised by. [[William Watson Goodwin|William W. Goodwin]], PH. D. Boston. Little, Brown, and Company. Cambridge. Press Of John Wilson and son. 1874. 5. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0400%3Achapter%3D1 Online version 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. {{ISBN|0-674-99328-4}}. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0160 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library]
* Pausanias, ''Graeciae Descriptio.'' ''3 vols''. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0159 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].

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[[Category:Cult of Dionysus]]
[[Category:LGBTQ themes in Greek mythology]]
[[Category:Mythological Argives]]
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[[Category:Mythological Greek seers]]