In Greek mythology, Molus (/ˈmoʊləs/; Ancient Greek: Μῶλος Molos means "toil and moil") was the illegitimate son of Deucalion, son of Minos, king of Crete or of Minos instead.

Molus
Member of the Cretan Royal Family
AbodeCrete
Personal information
ParentsDeucalion or Minos
SiblingsDeucalion
ConsortMelphis or Euippe
OffspringMeriones

Family edit

Molus was the father, by Melphis or Euippe,[1] of Meriones, the charioteer of Idomeneus in the Trojan War.

Apollodorus' account edit

To Deucalion were born Idomeneus and Crete and a bastard son Molus.[2]

Hyginus' account edit

Meriones, son of Molus and Melphis, from Crete, with 40 ships. [Catalogue of ships for the Trojan War][3]

Mythology edit

Diodorus Siculus' account edit

Minos’ 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.[4]

Death edit

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.[5]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Tzetzes, Homeric Allegories Prologue, 588
  2. ^ Apollodorus, 3.3.1
  3. ^ Hyginus, Fabulae 97
  4. ^ Diodorus Siculus, 5.79.4
  5. ^ Plutarch, De defectu oraculorum 14, p. 417e

References edit