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{{about|the character in Aeneid|the King of [[Sicyon]]|Messapus (King of Sicyon)|the genus of spiders|Messapus (spider)}}
[[File:Peplus virtutum Romanarum pl48.jpg|thumb|Messapus (left) killing Aulestes in a 1688 engraving]]
'''Messapus''', ([[Greek language|Greek]]: Μέσσαπος, ''Messapos'') a character in [[Virgil]]'s ''[[Aeneid]]'', appears in Books VII to XII of the [[Latin]] [[Epic poetry|epic poem]]. He was a son of [[Neptune (mythology)|Neptune]], a famous tamer of horses, and king of [[Etruria]], known for being one "whom no one can fell by fire or steel" (Mandelbaum, VII.911-912).<ref>{{cite book | translator-last=Mandelbaum | translator-first=Allen | title=The Aeneid of Virgil | publication-place=New York | publisher=Bantam Books | year=1971 | isbn=0-553-21041-6 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z5Cd-Uct1wIC&pg=PA183 | page=183 }}</ref>
==Narrative==
[[File:Combats entre Ebysus et Corynée, Messape et Aulestès, Alsus et Podalire.jpg|thumb|Messapus on horseback (centre), attacking Aulestes in a drawing by [[Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson]]]]
Although accustomed to peace, in Book VII Messapus joins forces with [[Turnus]] in his battle against [[Aeneas]] and the [[Troy|Trojans]]. Book VIII lists him as one of Turnus' chief captains, along with [[Ufens]] and [[Mezentius]].
In Book IX, which recounts the nighttime raid by [[Nisus and Euryalus]] on the [[Rutuli]]an camp, the battle helmet of Messapus is taken by [[Nisus and Euryalus|Euryalus]]. Light reflected off the stolen helmet, betraying [[Nisus and Euryalus|Euryalus]] to his enemies and leading not only to his own death, but also that of [[Nisus and Euryalus|Nisus]].
Messapus fought in battle in Book X, killing [[Clonius]], and [[Ericetes]] son of [[Lycaon (Greek myth)|Lycaon]]. In Book XI, he led a cavalry charge alongside [[Coras (mythology)|Coras]] and [[Camilla (mythology)|Camilla]].
Book XII again lists Messapus as one of the captains of the armies, described as "brilliant in gold and purple". He threw a spear at [[Aeneas]], taking the top off his helmet, and enraging him. At the height of the battle, Messapus and [[Atinas]] alone held the Rutulian line at the gates of [[Laurentum]]. A truce was called for Turnus and Aeneas to fight in single combat, but the Rutulians break the truce. Messapus, eager to stop the duel, charged on horseback towards [[Etruscan civilization|Etruscan]] king [[Aulestes]], who tripped and fell onto an altar and pleaded for his life. Messapus stabbed him with his spear, saying "He's had it, this nobler victim given to the mighty gods!"
==Inspiration==
Virgil adapted a myth from [[Greek poetry]] to create Messapus, namely the [[Greek mythology|Greek mythological]] figure [[Cycnus of Kolonai|Cycnus]], who was a son of [[Poseidon]]. Virgil also "borrowed" the property of [[invulnerability]] from Cycnus and attributed it to Messapus.<ref name="O'Hara">{{cite journal | last=O'Hara | first=James J. | title=Messapus, Cycnus, and the Alphabetical Order of Vergil's Catalogue of Italian Heroes | journal=Phoenix | publisher=Classical Association of Canada | volume=43 | issue=1 | year=1989 | issn=00318299 | jstor=1088539 | page=37 | url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/1088539 }}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Aeneid}}
[[Category:Characters in the Aeneid]]
[[Category:Neptune (mythology)]]
{{AncientRome-myth-stub}}