Editing Salmoneus

{{Short description|Greek mythological king}}
{{For|the shrimp genus|Salmoneus (crustacean)}}
[[File:Salmoneus AJA 1899.jpg|thumb|Salmoneus wielding a sword, to his left is Iris, to the right his astonished wife.]]
{{Greek underworld|image=|caption=Salmonueus}}

In [[Greek mythology]], '''Salmoneus''' ({{IPAc-en|s|əl|ˈ|m|oʊ|n|i|ə|s}}; [[Ancient Greek]]: Σαλμωνεύς) was 'the wicked'<ref name=":1">[[Hesiod]], ''[[Catalogue of Women|Ehoiai]]'' fr. 4 as cited in [[Plutarch]], ''Moralia'' p. 747; Scholia ad [[Pindar]], ''Pythian Ode'' 4.263</ref> eponymous king and founder of [[Salmone (Elis)|Salmone]] in [[Pisatis]].<ref>[[Strabo]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Strab.+8.3.32&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0198:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Salmoneus 8.3.32]</ref>

==Family==
Salmoneus was formerly a [[Ancient Thessaly|Thessalian]] prince as son of King [[Aeolus (son of Hellen)|Aeolus]] of [[Ancient Thessaly|Aeolia]]. His mother was identified as (1) [[Enarete]], daughter of [[Deïmachus (mythology)|Deimachus]], or (2) [[Iphis (mythology)|Iphis]], daughter of [[Peneus]],<ref>[[Hellanicus of Lesbos|Hellanicus]] in scholia on [[Plato]], ''[[Symposium (Plato)|Symposium]]'' 208 (p. 376)</ref> or (3) [[Laodice (Greek myth)|Laodice]],<ref>Scholia on [[Homer]], ''[[Odyssey]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0055:book=11:commline=235&highlight=laodice 11.235]</ref> daughter of [[Aloeus]]. Salmoneus was the brother of [[Athamas]], [[Sisyphus]], [[Cretheus]], [[Perieres (king of Messenia)|Perieres]], [[Deioneus]], [[Magnes (son of Aeolus)|Magnes]], [[Calyce (mythology)|Calyce]], [[Canace]], [[Alcyone and Ceyx|Alcyone]], [[Pisidice]] and [[Perimede (mythology)|Perimede]].<ref name=":1" /><ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+1.7.3&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:book=1:chapter=7&highlight=Salmoneus 1.7.3]</ref>

Salmoneus's first wife was [[Alcidice]] by whom he became the father of [[Tyro]], while his second wife was [[Sidero]].<ref>Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+1.9.8&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:book=1:chapter=9&highlight=Salmoneus 1.9.8]</ref>

==Mythology==
Emigrating from Aeolis with a number of Aeolians, Salmoneus founded a city in Eleia ([[Elis]]) on the banks of the river [[Alfeios|Alpheius]] and called it Salmonia after his own name. He then married Alcidice, the daughter of Aleus but when she died, the king took for a second wife Sidero who treated his beautiful daughter Tyro unkindly.<ref>[[Diodorus Siculus]], [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/4D*.html#68.1 4.68.1]–[https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/4D*.html#68.2 2]</ref>

Salmoneus and his brother Sisyphus hated each other. Sisyphus found out from an [[oracle]] that if he married Tyro, she would bear him children who would kill Salmoneus. At first, Tyro submitted to Sisyphus, married him, and bore him a son. When Tyro found out what the child would do to Salmoneus, she killed the boy. It was soon after this that Tyro lay with [[Poseidon]] and bore him [[Pelias]] and [[Neleus]].

Salmoneus, being an overbearing man and impious, came to be hated by his subjects for he ordered them to worship him under the name of [[Zeus]].<ref name=":0">[[John Tzetzes|Tzetzes]], ''Chiliades'' [http://www.theoi.com/Text/TzetzesChiliades7.html 7.9]</ref> He built a bridge of brass, over which he drove at full speed in his chariot to imitate thunder, the effect being heightened by dried skins and cauldrons trailing behind while torches were thrown into the air to represent lightning. For this sin of [[hubris]], Zeus eventually struck him down with his thunderbolt and destroyed the town.<ref>Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+1.9.7&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:book=1:chapter=9&highlight=Salmoneus 1.9.7]; [[Virgil]], ''[[Aeneid]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Verg.+A.6.585&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0054:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Salmoneus 6.585] with Heyne's excursus; Strabo, 8, p. 356; [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''Fabulae'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#60 60]–[https://topostext.org/work/206#61 61]; [[Marcus Manilius|Manilius]], ''Astronom.'' 5, 91</ref><ref name=ws>{{EB1911|wstitle=Salmoneus |volume=24 |page=85 |inline=1}}</ref><blockquote>And he [i.e. Salmoneus] acted profanely, by casting torches (in the air) as if they were lightnings,<br />And dragging dried hides with kettles at his chariot,<br />Pretending to make thunder, so he was thunderstruck by Zeus.<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>[[Virgil]]'s ''[[Aeneid]]'' has Salmoneus placed in [[Tartarus]] after Zeus smites him where he is subjected to eternal torment.<ref>Virgil, ''Aeneid'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Verg.+A.6.585&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0054:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Salmoneus 6.585–594]</ref>

==Inspiration==
According to Frazer, the early Greek kings, who were expected to produce rain for the benefit of the crops, were in the habit of imitating thunder and lightning in the character of Zeus.<ref>Frazer, ''Early History of the Kingship'' 1905</ref><ref>see also ''Golden Bough'', i., 1900, p. 82</ref> At [[Crannon]] in [[Ancient Thessaly|Thessaly]], there was a bronze chariot which in time of drought was shaken and prayers offered for rain.<ref>[[Antigonus of Carystus]], ''Historiae mirabiles'' 15</ref> S. Reinach<ref>S. Reinach ''Revue archéologique'', 1903, i. 154</ref> suggests that the story that Salmoneus was struck by lightning was due to the misinterpretation of a picture, in which a Thessalian magician appeared bringing down lightning and rain from heaven. Hence arose the idea that he was the victim of the anger or jealousy of Zeus and that the picture represented his punishment.<ref name=ws/>

==See also==
*[[List of Hercules (1998 TV series) episodes]], season 1, episode 2

==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].
*[[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].
* [[Hesiod]], ''[[Catalogue of Women]]'' from ''Homeric Hymns, Epic Cycle, Homerica'' translated by Evelyn-White, H G. Loeb Classical Library Volume 57. London: William Heinemann, 1914. [http://www.theoi.com/Text/HesiodCatalogues.html Online version at theio.com]
* [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|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.]
* [[Strabo]], ''The Geography of Strabo.'' Edition by H.L. Jones. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. 1924. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0198%3Abook%3D6%3Achapter%3D1%3Asection%3D1 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.]
* [[Strabo]], ''Geographica'' edited by A. Meineke. Leipzig: Teubner. 1877. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0197 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.]
* [[Virgil|Publius Vergilius Maro]], ''Aeneid.'' Theodore C. Williams. trans. Boston. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1910. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0054%3Abook%3D1%3Acard%3D1 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.]
* [[Virgil|Publius Vergilius Maro]], ''Bucolics, Aeneid, and Georgics''. J. B. Greenough. Boston. Ginn & Co. 1900. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0055 Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
*[[John Tzetzes|Tzetzes, John]], ''Book of Histories,'' Book VII-VIII translated by Vasiliki Dogani from the original Greek of T. Kiessling's edition of 1826. [http://www.theoi.com/Text/TzetzesChiliades7.html Online version at theio.com]

[[Category:Aeolides]]
[[Category:Princes in Greek mythology]]
[[Category:Kings of Elis]]
[[Category:Kings in Greek mythology]]
[[Category:Condemned souls in Tartarus]]
[[Category:Characters in Book VI of the Aeneid]]
[[Category:Mythological Thessalians]]
[[Category:Elean mythology]]
[[Category:Thessalian mythology]]
[[Category:Deeds of Zeus]]
[[Category:Classical mythology in popular culture]]
[[Category:Mythological city founders]]