In Greek mythology

Greek mythology

Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...

, Lophis was the young son of a ruler of Haliartus, Boeotia

Boeotia

Boeotia, also spelled Beotia and Bœotia , is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Greece. It was also a region of ancient Greece. Its capital is Livadeia, the second largest city being Thebes.-Geography:...

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Legend has it that Haliartus was once an arid land lacking fresh water sources. Lophis' father went to inquire the oracle in Delphi

Delphi

Delphi is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.In Greek mythology, Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god...

 as to whether there was a possible way to supply the region with water, and received an answer in accordance with which he had to kill the first person he would meet upon return home. This person happened to be his son Lophis, whom the king did not hesitate to slay nevertheless. Mortally wounded, Lophis still managed to run around for a short while before he fell down dead. From the flow of his blood rose up a river which was named Lophis after the young man.

A similar motif occurs in the story of Idomeneus

Idomeneus

In Greek mythology, Idomeneus , "strength of Ida") was a Cretan warrior, father of Orsilochus and Chalkiope, son of Deucalion, grandson of Minos and king of Crete. He led the Cretan armies to the Trojan War and was also one of Helen's suitors. Meriones was his charioteer and brother-in-arms...

 and his son, and, in Biblical mythology, of Jephthah and his daughter.