View source for Oebalus

{{Short description|King in Greek mythology}}
{{For|the genus of true bugs|Oebalus (bug)}}
In [[Greek mythology]], '''Oebalus''', also spelled '''Oibalus''' or '''Oibalius''', ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɛ|b|ə|l|ə|s}}; [[Ancient Greek]]: Οἴβαλος, '' Oíbalos'') was a king of [[Sparta]].
== Family ==
Oibalus was the son of either [[Cynortas]]<ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], 3.1.3</ref> or [[Argalus]].<ref>[[Dictys Cretensis]], 1.9</ref> He was the second husband of Princess [[Gorgophone (Perseid)|Gorgophone]] and thus son-in-law of the hero [[Perseus]]. With her or by the [[Naiad]] [[Batea (mythology)|Bateia]],<ref name=":0">[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], 3.10.4</ref> Oibalos fathered [[Tyndareus]],<ref>[[Hyginus]], ''Fabulae'' 14.3</ref><ref>[[Ovid]], ''[[Heroides]]'' 16.127 ff; not directly named as the son of Oebalus but Helen, the reputed daughter of Tyndareus was called ''"... a nymph of Oebalus' line ..."'' which means she was a descendant of the latter through his son Tyndareus.</ref><ref>[[Gaius Valerius Flaccus|Valerius Flaccus]], ''Argonautica'' 1.420 ff; mentioned that Pollux was called the grandson of Oebalus, the father of their father Tyndareus.</ref> [[Icarius]] and [[Hippocoon]], as well as a daughter, Arene, who married her half-brother [[Aphareus of Messenia|Aphareus]].<ref>Apollodorus, 3.10.3</ref><ref>Hyginus, ''Fabulae'' 78</ref> The nymph [[Pirene (mythology)|Pirene]]<ref>''[[Megalai Ehoiai]]'' fr. 258, cited in [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], 2.2.2</ref> and [[Hyacinth (mythology)|Hyacinth]]<ref>[[Lucian]], ''Dialogi Deorum'' 16</ref><ref>Hyginus, ''Fabulae'' 271</ref> were also called the daughter and son of Oebalius respectively. His grandchildren, the Dioscuri, were usually referred as Oibalids<ref>Ovid, ''[[Fasti (poem)|Fasti]]'' 5.705</ref> or Oebalidae.<ref>[[Statius]], ''[[Thebaid (Latin poem)|Thebaid]]'' 5.438</ref>
Oebalus was often confused with Gorgophone's first husband, [[Perieres of Messenia|Perieres]], son of [[Aeolus (son of Hellen)|Aeolus]]. They were separate people, usually unrelated though Oebalus was sometimes said to be Perieres’ son.<ref name=":0" />
{| class="wikitable"
|+<big>Comparative table of Oebalus' family</big>
! rowspan="2" |Relation
! rowspan="2" |Names
! colspan="8" |Sources
|-
|''Hesiod''
| colspan="2" |''Apollodorus''
|''Dictys''
|''Hyginus''
| colspan="2" |''Pausanias''
|''Lucian''
|-
| rowspan="3" |''Parentage''
|Perieres
|
| colspan="2" |✓
|
|
| colspan="2" |
|
|-
|Argalus
|
| colspan="2" |
|✓
|
| colspan="2" |
|
|-
|Cynortas
|
| colspan="2" |
|
|
| colspan="2" |✓
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |''Consort''
|Batia
|
|✓
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|Gorgophone
|
| colspan="2" |
|
|
|✓
|
|
|-
| rowspan="6" |''Children''
|Tyndareus
|✓
|✓
|
|✓
|✓
|
|
|
|-
|Hippocoon
|
|✓
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|Icarius
|
|✓
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|Arene
|
|
|✓
|
|✓
|
|✓
|
|-
|Hyacinthus
|
|
|
|
|✓
|
|
|✓
|-
|Pirene
|
|
|
|
|
|
|✓
|
|}
{{s-start}}
{{s-reg}}
{{succession box
| title = [[List of kings of Sparta|King of Sparta]]
| before = [[Cynortas]]
| after = [[Tyndareus]]<br/>(first reign)
| years = 1290-65 BC
}}
{{s-end}}
== Notes ==
{{Reflist}}
==References==
* [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], ''The Library'' with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. ISBN 0-674-99135-4. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0022 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0021 Greek text available from the same website].
* [[Dictys Cretensis]]'', from The Trojan War.'' ''The Chronicles of Dictys of Crete and [[Dares Phrygius|Dares the Phrygian]]'' translated by Richard McIlwaine Frazer, Jr. (1931-). Indiana University Press. 1966. [https://topostext.org/work/152 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
* [[Gaius Julius Hyginus]], ''Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus'' translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies. [https://topostext.org/work/206 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
* [[Valerius Flaccus (poet)|Gaius Valerius Flaccus]], ''Argonautica'' translated by Mozley, J H. Loeb Classical Library Volume 286. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1928. [http://www.theoi.com/Text/ValeriusFlaccus1.html Online version at theio.com.]
* Gaius Valerius Flaccus, ''Argonauticon.'' Otto Kramer. Leipzig. Teubner. 1913. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2007.01.0058 Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.]
* [[Lucian|Lucian of Samosata]], ''Dialogues of the Gods'' translated by Fowler, H W and F G. Oxford: The Clarendon Press. 1905. [http://www.theoi.com/Text/LucianDialoguesGods1.html Online version at theoi.com]
* Luciani Samosatensis, ''Opera. Vol I.'' Karl Jacobitz. in aedibus B. G. Teubneri. Leipzig. 1896. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0526 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], ''Description of Greece'' with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A., in 4 Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918. {{ISBN|0-674-99328-4}}. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0160 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library]
* Pausanias, ''Graeciae Descriptio.'' ''3 vols''. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903.  [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0159 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Ovid|Publius Ovidius Naso]], ''[[Fasti (poem)|Fasti]]'' translated by James G. Frazer. [https://topostext.org/work/143 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
* Publius Ovidius Naso, ''Fasti.'' Sir James George Frazer. London; Cambridge, MA. William Heinemann Ltd.; Harvard University Press. 1933. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0547 Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* Publius Ovidius Naso, ''The Epistles of Ovid.'' London. J. Nunn, Great-Queen-Street; R. Priestly, 143, High-Holborn; R. Lea, Greek-Street, Soho; and J. Rodwell, New-Bond-Street. 1813. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0085%3Apoem%3D1 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.]
* Publius Ovidius Naso. ''Amores, Epistulae, Medicamina faciei femineae, Ars amatoria, Remedia amoris''. Edition by R. Ehwald; Rudolphi Merkelii; Leipzig. B. G. Teubner. 1907. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0068%3Atext%3DEp. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Statius|Publius Papinius Statius]]'', [[Thebaid (Latin poem)|The Thebaid]]'' translated by John Henry Mozley. Loeb Classical Library Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1928. [https://topostext.org/work/149 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
* Publius Papinius Statius, ''The Thebaid. Vol I-II''. John Henry Mozley. London: William Heinemann; New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 1928. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0498 Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.]
*
{{Kings of Sparta}}{{Greek-myth-stub}}
[[Category:Princes in Greek mythology]]
[[Category:Mythological kings of Sparta]]
[[Category:Mythological Laconians]]