Sinope (mythology)

Sinop in Turkey, Black Sea coast.
Greek deities
series
Nymphs

In Greek mythology, Sinope (/sɪˈnoʊpi/; Ancient Greek: Σινώπη[1]) was one of the daughters of Asopus and thought to be an eponym of the city Sinope on the Black Sea.

Family

Sinope's mother was Metope, daughter of the river-god Ladon.[2] In one account, she was called the daughter of Ares and Parnassa.[3] In the account of her being the offspring of Ares, Sinope was probably one of the Amazons.[4]

Mythology

According to Corinna[5] and Diodorus Siculus,[6] Sinope was carried away by the god Apollo to the place where later stood the city honouring her name. Diodorus adds that she bore to Apollo a son named Syrus, supposedly afterwards king of the Syrians, who were named after him.[7]

However, the Argonautica[8] and Valerius Flaccus[9] relate that Sinope was abducted to the site by Zeus, who, in his passion, swore to fulfil her dearest wish.[10] Sinope declared she wished to remain a virgin. Sinope later tricked Apollo and the river Halys in the same fashion and remained a virgin all her life.

Notes

  1. ^ Σινώπη, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus
  2. ^ Diodorus Siculus, 4.72.1
  3. ^ Scholia on Apollonius, 2.946
  4. ^ Pseudo-Scymnos, Circuit de la terre 940 ff.
  5. ^ Frag. 654
  6. ^ Diodorus Siculus, 4.72.2
  7. ^ Plutarch, Lucullus 23.6
  8. ^ Apollonius, 2.946-951, on Perseus (Greek text)
  9. ^ Valerius Flaccus, 5.109
  10. ^ Cf. also Dionysius Periegeta 775-779 (eponym)

References