Heliadae

In Greek mythology, the Heliadae or Heliadai (/hɪˈlaɪ.ədiː/; Ancient Greek: Ἡλιάδαι) were the seven sons of Helios and Rhodos and grandsons of Poseidon, brothers to Electryone.

Biography

They were Ochimus, Cercaphus, Macareus (or Macar), Actis, Tenages, Triopas, and Candalus (Nonnus[1] adds Auges and Thrinax). They were expert astrologers and seafarers, and were the first to introduce sacrifices to Athena at Rhodes.[2][3] They also drove the Telchines out of Rhodes.[1]

Mythology

Tenages was the most highly endowed of the Heliadae, and was eventually killed by Macareus, Candalus, Triopas and Actis. This is attributed to their jealousy of his skills at science. As soon as their crime was discovered, the four had to escape from Rhodes: Macareus fled to Lesbos, Candalus to Cos, Triopas to Caria, and Actis to Egypt.[4] Ochimus and Cercaphus, who stayed aside from the crime, remained at the island and founded the city of Achaea (in the territory of modern Ialysos).[5] Ochimus, the eldest of the brothers, seized control over the island; Cercaphus married Ochimus' daughter and succeeded to the power. The three sons of Cercaphus, Lindus, Ialysus and Camirus, were founders and eponyms of the cities Lindos, Ialysos and Kameiros respectively.[6]

Genealogy

Greek sea gods
Gaia Uranus Oceanus Tethys The Potamoi The Oceanids Pontus Thalassa Nereus Thaumas Phorcys Ceto Eurybia The Telchines Halia Poseidon Aphrodite[7] Echidna Gorgon Graeae Ladon Hesperides Thoosa[8] Helios Rhodos Stheno Deino Heliadae Electryone Euryale Enyo Medusa[9] Pemphredo

Notes

1. Nonnus, Dionysiaca, 14. 44
2. Diodorus Siculus. Bibliotheca historica, 5.56
3. Pindar. Olympian Odes, 7.3
4. Diodorus Siculus. Bibliotheca historica, 5.57.2
5. Diodorus Siculus. Bibliotheca historica, 5.57.6
6. Pindar, Odes Olympian 7.3 sqq
7. There are two major conflicting stories for Aphrodite's origins: Hesiod (Theogony) claims that she was "born" from the foam of the sea after Cronus castrated Uranus, thus making her Uranus' daughter; but Homer (Iliad, book V) has Aphrodite as daughter of Zeus and Dione. According to Plato (Symposium 180e), the two were entirely separate entities: Aphrodite Ourania and Aphrodite Pandemos.
8. Homer, Odyssey, 1.70–73, names Thoosa as a daughter of Phorcys, without specifying a mother.
9. Most sources describe Medusa as the daughter of Phorcys and Ceto, though the author Hyginus (Fabulae Preface) makes Medusa the daughter of Gorgon and Ceto.

References

• Smith, William; Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, London (1873). "Heliadae and Heliads"
• Diodorus Siculus, 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.Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.