Theoclymenus
Encyclopedia
In Greek mythology
, Theoclymenus (Θεοκλύμενος), son of Polypheides, was a prophet
from Argos
, who, in the Odyssey
, had been taken from that city after killing one of his relatives being captured by pirates. He fled to Pylos
and sought refuge aboard the ship of Telemachus
, who had come to inquire about the fate of his father, Odysseus
. Telemachus obliged, and Theoclymenus accompanied him back to Ithaca
. There Theoclymenus read the auspice
s of the birds, interpreting them to mean that Telemachus would become head of the royal house of Ithaca. He also prophesied that Odysseus was already in Ithaca, disguised and watching as events unfolded. When he told Penelope
of these signs, she did not believe him. Later, at dinner, he had a vision of the death of the suitors, but they laughed at his predictions, not knowing they would indeed be killed that night.
Source: http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Mythology/Theoclymenus.html
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...
, Theoclymenus (Θεοκλύμενος), son of Polypheides, was a prophet
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
from Argos
Argos
Argos is a city and a former municipality in Argolis, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Argos-Mykines, of which it is a municipal unit. It is 11 kilometres from Nafplion, which was its historic harbour...
, who, in the Odyssey
Odyssey
The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad, the other work ascribed to Homer. The poem is fundamental to the modern Western canon, and is the second—the Iliad being the first—extant work of Western literature...
, had been taken from that city after killing one of his relatives being captured by pirates. He fled to Pylos
Pylos
Pylos , historically known under its Italian name Navarino, is a town and a former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pylos-Nestoras, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It was the capital of the former...
and sought refuge aboard the ship of Telemachus
Telemachus
Telemachus is a figure in Greek mythology, the son of Odysseus and Penelope, and a central character in Homer's Odyssey. The first four books in particular focus on Telemachus' journeys in search of news about his father, who has been away at war...
, who had come to inquire about the fate of his father, Odysseus
Odysseus
Odysseus or Ulysses was a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the Odyssey. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's Iliad and other works in the Epic Cycle....
. Telemachus obliged, and Theoclymenus accompanied him back to Ithaca
Ithaca
Ithaca or Ithaka is an island located in the Ionian Sea, in Greece, with an area of and a little more than three thousand inhabitants. It is also a separate regional unit of the Ionian Islands region, and the only municipality of the regional unit. It lies off the northeast coast of Kefalonia and...
. There Theoclymenus read the auspice
Auspice
An auspice is literally "one who looks at birds", a diviner who reads omens from the observed flight of birds...
s of the birds, interpreting them to mean that Telemachus would become head of the royal house of Ithaca. He also prophesied that Odysseus was already in Ithaca, disguised and watching as events unfolded. When he told Penelope
Penelope
In Homer's Odyssey, Penelope is the faithful wife of Odysseus, who keeps her suitors at bay in his long absence and is eventually reunited with him....
of these signs, she did not believe him. Later, at dinner, he had a vision of the death of the suitors, but they laughed at his predictions, not knowing they would indeed be killed that night.
- Theoclymenos is also the name of the king of EgyptEgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in EuripidesEuripidesEuripides was one of the three great tragedians of classical Athens, the other two being Aeschylus and Sophocles. Some ancient scholars attributed ninety-five plays to him but according to the Suda it was ninety-two at most...
' play HelenHelen (play)Helen is a drama by Euripides, probably first produced in 412 BC for the Dionysia. The play shares much in common with another of Euripides' works, Iphigenia in Tauris.-Background:...
.
Source: http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Mythology/Theoclymenus.html