{{Short description|Name in Greek mythology}} In Greek mythology, the name '''Echion''' {{IPAc-en|E|'|k|ai|Q|n}} ({{langx|grc|Ἐχῑ́ων}}, genitive: {{lang|grc|Ἐχίονος}}, derived<ref name="OCD">{{cite encyclopedia|last=Rose|first=Herbert Jennings|date=1970|title=Echion|encyclopedia=Oxford classical dictionary|editor-last1=Hammond|editor-first1=Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière|editor-last2=Scullard|editor-first2=Howard Hayes|location=Oxford|publisher=Clarendon Press|edition=2|page=368}}</ref> from {{langx|grc|ἔχις|échis|viper|label=none}}<ref>{{LSJ|e)/xis|ἔχις|longref}}</ref>) referred to five different beings:
*Echion, one of the Gigantes, known for great strength (though not necessarily great size) and having an ability to change the course or direction of winds.<ref>Claudian, ''Gigantomachy'' [https://archive.org/details/claudia02clau?view=theater#page/286/mode/2up 104 (pp. 288-289)]</ref><ref>Aken, Dr. A.R.A. van. (1961). ''Elseviers Mythologische Encyclopedie''. Amsterdam: Elsevier.</ref><ref>Bartelink, Dr. G.J.M. (1988). ''Prisma van de mythologie''. Utrecht: Het Spectrum.</ref> *Echion, one of the surviving ''Spartoi'', the "sown men" that sprang up from the dragon's teeth sown by Cadmus, the other four Spartoi were Chthonius, Hyperenor, Pelorus, and Udaeus.<ref>Scholia ad Euripides, ''Phoenissae'' [https://archive.org/details/scholiaineuripi00schwgoog/page/n358/mode/1up?view=theater 670], ad Apollonius Rhodius, 3.1179-1187; Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+3.4.1&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:book=0:chapter=0&highlight=Echion 3.4.1]; Hyginus, ''Fabulae'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#178 178]; Pseudo-Scymnos, ''Circuit de la terre'' [https://topostext.org/work/130#587 587 ff.]; Tzetzes, ''Chiliades'' [https://topostext.org/work/617#10.43 10.438-439]</ref> Echion was principally known for his skill in battle and bravery;<ref>Ovid, ''Metamorphoses'' 3.126</ref> "it was Echion who, for his great valor, was preferred by Cadmus to be his son-in-law":<ref>Pausanias, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+9.5.3&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:book=0:chapter=0&highlight=Echion 9.5.3]</ref> Echion was father of Pentheus<ref>Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+3.5.2&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:book=0:chapter=0&highlight=Echion 3.5.2]; Pausanias, 9.5.4; Oppian, ''Cygenetica'' [https://topostext.org/work/525#4.23 4.243]</ref> and Epeiros<ref>Parthenius, [https://topostext.org/work/550#32 32]</ref> by Agave.<ref>Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+3.4.2&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:book=0:chapter=0&highlight=Echion 3.5.2]</ref> He was credited to be the founder of the Malian city of Echinos.<ref>Pseudo-Scymnos, ''Circuit de la terre'' [https://topostext.org/work/130#587 587 ff.]; Stephanus of Byzantium, s.v. ''[https://topostext.org/work/241#E292.16 Echinos]''</ref> Also, Echion was said to have dedicated a temple of Cybele in Boeotia, and to have assisted Cadmus in the building of Thebes.<ref>Ovid, ''Metamorphoses'' 10.686</ref><ref name="OCD"/> *Echion of Alope, son of Hermes<ref>Apollonius Rhodius, [https://topostext.org/work/126#1.51 1.51-52]; Pindar, ''Pythian Odes'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Pind.+P.+4&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0162:book=0:chapter=0&highlight=Echion 4.179]</ref> and Antianeira (daughter of Menetus)<ref>Apollonius Rhodius, [https://topostext.org/work/126#1.51 1.56]; Hyginus, ''Fabulae'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#14 14] & [https://topostext.org/work/206#160 160]</ref> or Laothoe, and brother of Erytus.<ref>Apollonius Rhodius, [https://topostext.org/work/126#1.51 1.51-52]</ref> Together with the latter and stepbrother, Aethalides, they participated in the quest of the Argonauts.<ref>Pindar, ''Pythian Odes'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Pind.+P.+4&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0162:book=0:chapter=0&highlight=Echion 4.179]; Apollonius Rhodius, [https://topostext.org/work/126#1.51 1.52-54]; Hyginus, ''Fabulae'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#14 14]</ref> Echion and his brother were described as ''“well skilled in craftiness”''<ref>Apollonius Rhodius, [https://topostext.org/work/126#1.51 1.52]</ref> which signified the ability they possess as children of the thief-god. Also, he participated in the Calydonian boar hunt, according to Hyginus<ref>''Fabulae'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#173 173]</ref> and Ovid.<ref>''Metamorphoses'' 8.311</ref><ref name="OCD"/> *Echion, son of Portheus and one of the Greeks who fought at the Trojan War. He was also one of the men hidden in the Trojan horse and was killed. The doomed Greek is a "tough but battle weary warrior, plagued by phantasms of his death".<ref>Apollodorus, E.5.20 ff.</ref><ref>Peter Carey: A Literary Companion 73</ref> *Echion, one of the suitors who came with 53 others from Dulichium to compete for Penelope.<ref>Apollodorus, E.7.26–27</ref> He, with the other suitors, was shot dead by Odysseus with the help of Eumaeus, Philoetius, and Telemachus.<ref>Apollodorus, E.7.33</ref>
==Notes== {{Reflist}}
== 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. [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]. * Apollonius Rhodius, ''Argonautica'' translated by Robert Cooper Seaton (1853-1915), R. C. Loeb Classical Library Volume 001. London, William Heinemann Ltd, 1912. [https://topostext.org/work/126 Online version at the Topos Text Project.] *Apollonius Rhodius, ''Argonautica''. George W. Mooney. London. Longmans, Green. 1912. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0227 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library]. *Claudius Claudianus, ''Battle of the Giants from Carmina Minora'' translated by Platnauer, Maurice. Loeb Classical Library Volumes 135 & 136. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press. 1922. [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Claudian/Carmina_Minora*/52.html Online version at Bill Thayer's Web Site] * 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.] * 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]. * Publius Ovidius Naso, ''Metamorphoses'' translated by Brookes More (1859-1942). Boston, Cornhill Publishing Co. 1922. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0028 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.] * Publius Ovidius Naso, ''Metamorphoses.'' Hugo Magnus. Gotha (Germany). Friedr. Andr. Perthes. 1892. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0029 Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library]. * Stephanus of Byzantium, ''Stephani Byzantii Ethnicorum quae supersunt,'' edited by August Meineike (1790-1870), published 1849. A few entries from this important ancient handbook of place names have been translated by Brady Kiesling. [https://topostext.org/work/241 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
{{Gigantes}} {{Greek myth index}}
Category:Achaeans (Homer) Category:Argonauts Category:Characters in the Argonautica Category:Gigantes Category:Mythological Thebans Category:Suitors of Penelope
ca:Equíon (fill d'Hermes) it:Echione (Ermes) pl:Echion (syn Hermesa) fi:Ekhion (argonautti)