Oebalus

For the genus of true bugs, see Oebalus (bug).

In Greek mythology, Oebalus, also spelled Oibalus or Oibalius, (/ˈɛbələs/; Ancient Greek: Οἴβαλος, Oíbalos) was a king of Sparta.

Family

Oibalus was the son of either Cynortas[1] or Argalus.[2] He was the second husband of Princess Gorgophone and thus son-in-law of the hero Perseus. With her or by the Naiad Bateia,[3] Oibalos fathered Tyndareus,[4][5][6] Icarius and Hippocoon, as well as a daughter, Arene, who married her half-brother Aphareus.[7][8] The nymph Pirene[9] and Hyacinth[10][11] were also called the daughter and son of Oebalius respectively. His grandchildren, the Dioscuri, were usually referred as Oibalids[12] or Oebalidae.[13]

Oebalus was often confused with Gorgophone's first husband, Perieres, son of Aeolus. They were separate people, usually unrelated though Oebalus was sometimes said to be Perieres’ son.[3]

Comparative table of Oebalus' family
Relation Names Sources
Hesiod Apollodorus Dictys Hyginus Pausanias Lucian
Parentage Perieres ✓
Argalus ✓
Cynortas ✓
Consort Batia ✓
Gorgophone ✓
Children Tyndareus ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Hippocoon ✓
Icarius ✓
Arene ✓ ✓ ✓
Hyacinthus ✓ ✓
Pirene ✓
Regnal titles
Preceded by King of Sparta
1290-65 BC 		Succeeded by
Tyndareus
(first reign)

Notes

  1. ^ Pausanias, 3.1.3
  2. ^ Dictys Cretensis, 1.9
  3. ^ a b Apollodorus, 3.10.4
  4. ^ Hyginus, Fabulae 14.3
  5. ^ Ovid, Heroides 16.127 ff; not directly named as the son of Oebalus but Helen, the reputed daughter of Tyndareus was called "... a nymph of Oebalus' line ..." which means she was a descendant of the latter through his son Tyndareus.
  6. ^ Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica 1.420 ff; mentioned that Pollux was called the grandson of Oebalus, the father of their father Tyndareus.
  7. ^ Apollodorus, 3.10.3
  8. ^ Hyginus, Fabulae 78
  9. ^ Megalai Ehoiai fr. 258, cited in Pausanias, 2.2.2
  10. ^ Lucian, Dialogi Deorum 16
  11. ^ Hyginus, Fabulae 271
  12. ^ Ovid, Fasti 5.705
  13. ^ Statius, Thebaid 5.438

References

  • 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. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website.
  • Dictys Cretensis, from The Trojan War. The Chronicles of Dictys of Crete and Dares the Phrygian translated by Richard McIlwaine Frazer, Jr. (1931-). Indiana University Press. 1966. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
  • Gaius Julius Hyginus, Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
  • Gaius Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica translated by Mozley, J H. Loeb Classical Library Volume 286. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1928. Online version at theio.com.
  • Gaius Valerius Flaccus, Argonauticon. Otto Kramer. Leipzig. Teubner. 1913. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
  • Lucian of Samosata, Dialogues of the Gods translated by Fowler, H W and F G. Oxford: The Clarendon Press. 1905. Online version at theoi.com
  • Luciani Samosatensis, Opera. Vol I. Karl Jacobitz. in aedibus B. G. Teubneri. Leipzig. 1896. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
  • 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. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library
  • Pausanias, Graeciae Descriptio. 3 vols. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
  • Publius Ovidius Naso, Fasti translated by James G. Frazer. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
  • Publius Ovidius Naso, Fasti. Sir James George Frazer. London; Cambridge, MA. William Heinemann Ltd.; Harvard University Press. 1933. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
  • Publius Ovidius Naso, The Epistles of Ovid. London. J. Nunn, Great-Queen-Street; R. Priestly, 143, High-Holborn; R. Lea, Greek-Street, Soho; and J. Rodwell, New-Bond-Street. 1813. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
  • Publius Ovidius Naso. Amores, Epistulae, Medicamina faciei femineae, Ars amatoria, Remedia amoris. Edition by R. Ehwald; Rudolphi Merkelii; Leipzig. B. G. Teubner. 1907. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
  • Publius Papinius Statius, The Thebaid translated by John Henry Mozley. Loeb Classical Library Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1928. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
  • Publius Papinius Statius, The Thebaid. Vol I-II. John Henry Mozley. London: William Heinemann; New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 1928. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
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