The Myth of Anius and His Daughters at Delos

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Faculty of Arts, Ain Shams University, Egypt

Abstract

The research deals with the Greek and Roman mythological narrative concerning the stop of the Greek fleet at the island of Delos during their voyage to Troy, where the Greeks met the island's king, Anius, son and priest of the god Apollo. Anius had three daughters named Oino, Spermo, and Elais, also known collectively as the "Oinotropae." The grandfather of these girls, the god Dionysus, gave them gift of transforming whatever they touched into wine, grain, and oil. Anius proposed that the Greeks remain in Delos for nine years, as he, being a seer, knew that Troy would not fall until the tenth year. During this period, his daughters would provide food for the Greek army. The study is divided into two main sections: the first analyzes the mythological narratives from Greek and Roman sources relating to the Greek fleet's stop in Delos and the support provided by Anius and his daughters. The second section focuses on analyzing the figures of Anius and his daughters from the mythological and religious perspectives within the context of Delos, aiming to reach an appropriate interpretation of the myth. In this research, the researcher will rely on the analytical, comparative, historical, and descriptive approaches.

Keywords

References

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