Greek mythology Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of ancient Greek folklore, today absorbed alongside Roman mythology into the broader designation of classical mythology. These stories conc ...

, Arctus () was a

centaur A centaur ( ; ; ), occasionally hippocentaur, also called Ixionidae (), is a creature from Greek mythology with the upper body of a human and the lower body and legs of a horse that was said to live in the mountains of Thessaly. In one version o ...

who fought against the

Lapith The Lapiths (; , ''Lapithai'', sing. Λαπίθης) were a group of legendary people in Greek mythology, who lived in Thessaly in the valley of the Pineios and on the mountain Pelion. They were believed to have descended from the mythical Lapi ...

spearmen. His name means 'bear' in Ancient Greek.

Mythology

Arctus is briefly mentioned by

Hesiod Hesiod ( or ; ''Hēsíodos''; ) was an ancient Greece, Greek poet generally thought to have been active between 750 and 650 BC, around the same time as Homer.M. L. West, ''Hesiod: Theogony'', Oxford University Press (1966), p. 40.Jasper Gr ...

, describing the

shield of Heracles The ''Shield of Heracles'' (, ''Aspis Hērakleous'') is an archaic Greek epic poem that was attributed to Hesiod during antiquity. The subject of the poem is the expedition of Heracles and Iolaus against Cycnus, the son of Ares, who challenged ...

And there was the strife of the Lapith spearmen gathered round the prince
Caeneus In Greek mythology, Caeneus or Kaineus () was a Lapith Greek hero, hero, ruler of Thessaly, and the father of the Argonaut Coronus (mythology), Coronus. Caeneus was born a girl, Caenis (), the daughter of Elatus, but after Poseidon had sex with C ...
and Dryas and Peirithöus, with
Hopleus In Greek mythology, Hopleus (Ancient Greek: Ὁπλεύς) was the name of the following figures: * Hopleus, an Arcadian prince as one of the 50 sons of the impious King Lycaon either by the naiad Cyllene, Nonacris or by unknown woman. He and h ...
, Exadius, Phalereus, and Prolochus,
Mopsus Mopsus (; Ancient Greek: Μόψος, ''Mopsos'') was the name of one of two famous seers in Greek mythology; his rival being Calchas. A historical or legendary ''Mopsos'' or ''Mukšuš'' may have been the founder of a house in power at widespread ...
the son of Ampyce of Titaresia, a scion of
Ares Ares (; , ''Árēs'' ) is the List of Greek deities, Greek god of war god, war and courage. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. The Greeks were ambivalent towards him. He embodies the physical valor necessary for ...
, and
Theseus Theseus (, ; ) was a divine hero in Greek mythology, famous for slaying the Minotaur. The myths surrounding Theseus, his journeys, exploits, and friends, have provided material for storytelling throughout the ages. Theseus is sometimes desc ...
, the son of
Aegeus Aegeus (, ; ) was one of the List of kings of Athens, kings of Athens in Greek mythology, who gave his name to the Aegean Sea, was the father of Theseus, and founded Athenian institutions. Family Aegeus was the son of Pandion II, king of Athe ...
, like unto the deathless gods. These were of silver, and had armour of gold upon their bodies. And the Centaurs were gathered against them on the other side with Petraeus and
Asbolus In Greek mythology, Asbolus (Ancient Greek: Ἄσβολον or Ἄσβόλη means "sooty" or "carbon dust") was a centaur. He was a seer and Hesiod calls him an augur (''oionistes'' οἰωνιστής) who read omens in the flight of birds. ...
the diviner, Arctus, and Ureus, and black-haired
Mimas Mimas, also designated Saturn I, is the seventh-largest natural satellite of Saturn. With a mean diameter of , Mimas is the smallest astronomical body known to be roughly rounded in shape due to its own gravity. Mimas's low density, 1.15 ...
, and the two sons of
Peuceus In Greek mythology, Peuceus (Ancient Greek: Πευκεΐδας) was the centaur father of Perimedes and Dryalus, these two attended Pirithous’ and Hippodameia’s wedding and fought against the Lapiths during the celebrated ''Centauromachy''. ...
,
Perimedes Perimedes (Ancient Greek: Περιμήδης) was a name attributed to several characters in Greek mythology. *Perimedes, the Centaur son of Peuceus and brother of Dryalus. He attended Pirithous’ and Hippodameia’s wedding, and together wit ...
and
Dryalus In Greek mythology, Dryalus (Ancient Greek: Δρύαλόν) was the Centaur son of Peuceus and brother of Perimedes. He attended Pirithous’ and Hippodameia's wedding, and together with his kind, they fought against the Lapiths during the celebrat ...
: these were of silver, and they had pinetrees of gold in their hands, and they were rushing together as though they were alive and striking at one another hand to hand with spears and with pines.Hesiod, ''Shield of Heracles'', 178–190.

Notes

References

, ''

Shield of Heracles The ''Shield of Heracles'' (, ''Aspis Hērakleous'') is an archaic Greek epic poem that was attributed to Hesiod during antiquity. The subject of the poem is the expedition of Heracles and Iolaus against Cycnus, the son of Ares, who challenged ...

'' from ''The Homeric Hymns and Homerica'' with an English Translation by Hugh G. Evelyn-White, Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1914
Online version in Greek and English at Internet Archive.
Individual centaurs {{Greek-myth-stub

Mythology

See also

Notes

References