{{Other uses|Molus (mythology)}} {{Infobox deity | type = Greek | name = Molus | deity_of = | member_of = the Cretan Royal Family | image = | alt = | caption = | other_names = | affiliation = | cult_center = | abode = Crete | consort = Melphis or Euippe | parents = Deucalion or Minos | siblings = Deucalion | offspring = Meriones | predecessor = | successor = | Roman_equivalent = | Etruscan_equivalent = }}

In Greek mythology, '''Molus''' (/ˈmoʊləs/; {{Langx|grc|Μῶλος or Μόλος|Mōlos or Mólos|toil and moil', 'struggle', or 'fight}}) was the illegitimate son of Deucalion, son of Minos, king of Crete or of Minos instead.

== Family == Molus was the father, by Melphis or Euippe,<ref>Tzetzes, ''Homeric Allegories'' Prologue, 588 (Μόλος instead of Μῶλος).</ref> of Meriones, the charioteer of Idomeneus in the Trojan War.

=== Apollodorus's account === : To Deucalion were born Idomeneus and Crete and a bastard son Molus.<ref>Apollodorus, 3.3.1</ref> :

=== Hyginus's account === <blockquote>Meriones, son of Molus and Melphis, from Crete, with 40 ships. [Catalogue of ships for the Trojan War]<ref>Hyginus, ''Fabulae'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#97 97]</ref></blockquote>

== Mythology ==

=== Diodorus Siculus's account ===

: Minos's sons, they say, were Deucalion and Molus, and to Deucalion was born Idomeneus and to Molus was born Meriones. These two joined with Agamemnon in the expedition against Ilium with ninety ships, and when they had returned in safety to their fatherland they died and were accorded a notable burial and immortal honours. And the Cretans point out their tomb at Cnosus, which bears the following inscription: : Behold Idomeneus the Cnosian’s tomb, and by his side am I, Meriones, the son of Molus.<ref>Diodorus Siculus, 5.79.4</ref>

=== Death === Molus had attempted to violate a nymph but was afterwards found without a head; for at a certain festival in Crete they showed the image of a man without a head, who was called Molus.<ref>Plutarch, ''De defectu oraculorum'' [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0252%3Asection%3D14 14, p. 417e]</ref>

== Notes ==

<references />

== 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]. * 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]. * 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.]

Category:Mythological Cretans

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