Acestes
InRoman mythology,AcestesorEgestes(Ancient Greek:Ἀκέστης) was the son of theSicilianriver-godCrinisusby aDardanianorTrojanwoman named Egesta or Segesta.[1]
According toServius,this woman Egesta or Segesta was sent by her father, Hippotes or Ipsostratus, toSicily,that she might not be devoured by the monsters which infested the territory ofTroyand which had been sent into the land, because the Trojans had refused to rewardPoseidonandApollofor having built the walls of their city.[2]When Egesta arrived in Sicily, the river-god Crinisus in the form of a bear or a dog sired with her a son named Acestes, who was afterwards regarded as the hero who had founded the town ofSegesta.[3]
The funeral games of Aeneas's fatherAnchiseswere held there. Those of Aeneas's folk who wished to voyage no further were allowed to remain behind with Acestes and together with Acestes's people they founded the city of Acesta, that is Segesta.
TheAeneidcites him as giving wine as a farewell gift to Aeneas as he is leaving Sicily.
Mythological tradition of Dionysius[edit]
The tradition of Acestes inDionysius of Halicarnassus,[4]who calls him Aegestus (Αἴγεστος), is different, for according to him, the grandfather of Aegestus quarreled withLaomedon,who slew him and gave his daughters to some merchants to convey them to a distant land. A noble Trojan however embarked with them, and married one of them in Sicily, where she subsequently gave birth to a son, Aegestus. During the war against Troy Aegestus obtained permission fromPriamto return and take part in the contest, and afterwards returned to Sicily, whereAeneason his arrival was hospitably received by him andElymus,and built for them the towns ofAegestaand Elyme. The account of Dionysius seems to be nothing but a rationalistic interpretation of the genuine legend.[5]
Arrow of Acestes[edit]
In theAeneid,Acestes participates in a trial of skill in which he shoots hisarrowwhich then bursts into flame as a sign from Jupiter of Acestes's deserved honor.
References[edit]
- ^Virgil,Aeneidi. 195, 550, v. 36, 711, &c.
- ^Schmidt, Leonhard (1867),"Acestes",in Smith, William (ed.),Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology,vol. 1, Boston, p. 7, archived fromthe originalon 2012-12-02,retrieved2007-09-25
{{citation}}:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^Comp. Schol.ad Lycophron951, 963.
- ^Dionysius, i. 52
- ^As to the inconsistencies in Virgil's account of Acestes, see Heyne,Excurs.1,on Aen.v.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Smith, William,ed. (1870). "Acestes".Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.