CINYRAS IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Cinyras in Greek Mythology
In Greek mythology, Cinyras was a King of Cyprus who appears in the myth of Adonis, as well as also appearing in events of the Trojan War.
The Parentage of Cinyras
Various parentage for Cinyras is given in surviving sources, most commonly though, Cinyras is said to have been son of Sandocus and Pharnace, with ancestry traced back to Eos and Cephalus.
Sandocus was a King of Cilicia, founder of the city of Cellenderis, having arrived from Assyria.
Some though, call Cinyras as a son of Apollo.
Sandocus was a King of Cilicia, founder of the city of Cellenderis, having arrived from Assyria.
Some though, call Cinyras as a son of Apollo.
Cinyras on Cyprus
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Cinyras was said to have left Cilicia with a group of followers, and set sail for the island of Cyprus.
Cinyras would marry Metharme, daughter of Pygmalion, and from his father-in-law, Cinyras would inherit the kingdom of Cyprus. Cinyras would build to new settlements on Cyprus, Cinyreia and Paphos. On arrival upon Cyprus, Cinyras was also said to have introduced the worship of the goddess Aphrodite to the island, building a temple complex at the place where the goddess first stood on the island after her birth. As well as becoming King of Cyprus, Cinyras would also become the chief priest of Aphrodite. Children of CinyrasWith Metharme, Cinyras was said to have become father to a son, Ocyporos, and three daughters, Braesia, Laogora and Orsedice. The daughters of Cinyras were said to have been cursed by Aphrodite to fall in love with foreigners, and subsequently the three daughters married men of Egypt, and died there.
Some also call the wife of Cinyras, Cenchreis, by whom he had a daughter, Myrrha. Other children of Cinyras were named as Eune, Mygdalion, Laodice, Cyprus, Marieus and Koureis. |
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Cinyras and Myrrha
Myrrha, Cinyras’ daughter, who was also known as Smyma, was said to have been cursed by Aphrodite, for her mother’s hubris. Cenchreis having declared that Myrrha was more beautiful than the goddess.
Myrrha would be cursed to fall in love with her father, and with the help of her nurse, Myrrha would lay with her father in a dark bedroom for several nights.
Cinyras though would eventually try and find out about the woman who lay with him, and when he discovered it was his own daughter, he would have killed Myrrha with his sword.
Myrrha would flee from the palace, and the gods would eventually transform Cinyras’ daughter into a tree. Myrrha though, was already pregnant with a son of Cinyras, and after the given time, a son would come forth from the tree, a son called Adonis.
Myrrha would be cursed to fall in love with her father, and with the help of her nurse, Myrrha would lay with her father in a dark bedroom for several nights.
Cinyras though would eventually try and find out about the woman who lay with him, and when he discovered it was his own daughter, he would have killed Myrrha with his sword.
Myrrha would flee from the palace, and the gods would eventually transform Cinyras’ daughter into a tree. Myrrha though, was already pregnant with a son of Cinyras, and after the given time, a son would come forth from the tree, a son called Adonis.
Cinyras and the Trojan War
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Cinyras was said to have been still on the throne when the Trojan War began. Agamemnon sent emisaries in the form of Menelaus and Odysseus to ask for assistance.
Cinyras was said to have promised to send 50 ships and men to assist the Achaeans when war broke out. Yet, in the end, Cinyras sent a single ship commanded by his son Mygdalion, but in addition, Cinyras crafted 49 ships of clay which he also released into the sea, in order that he would not seen to have gone back on his word. |
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Cinyras was at the time under attack by Belus, and need to keep as much of his military force at home as possible.
Death of Cinyras
In antiquity, little is said about the death of Cinyras, although Cyprus fell to the troops of Belus, for Belus was aided by Teucer. Teucer would become King of Cyprus, replacing Cinyras, with perhaps the presumption that the former king was dead. Teucer would marry Eune, daughter of Cinyras.
Others tell of Cinyras committing suicide, after he realised that he had slept with his own daughter, Myrrha.
Post- antiquity a story is told of Cinyras being killed by Apollo, after a musical contest between Apollo and the king.
Others tell of Cinyras committing suicide, after he realised that he had slept with his own daughter, Myrrha.
Post- antiquity a story is told of Cinyras being killed by Apollo, after a musical contest between Apollo and the king.
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Colin Quartermain - Cinyras - 28th February 2020