CYCNUS IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Cycnus was a name given to a defender of Troy during the war with the Achaean forces of Agamemnon. Cycnus was famous for being a demi-god, for he was a son of Poseidon, and also famous for being invulnerable to sword or spear, and yet Cycnus would die at the hands of an even more famous demi-god, for Cycnus would be a victim of Achilles during the war.
Cycnus Son of Poseidon
Whilst it was agreed in ancient sources that Cycnus was the son of the Greek sea god Poseidon, there was no agreement about who the mother was; for the mother of Cycnus was variously named as Calyce, Harpale and Scamandrodice.
The mother of Cycnus was not enamoured with giving birth to the son of Poseidon though, for the newborn boy would be exposed upon the sea’s coast. Obviously the boy did not die, for fishermen came upon him and saved him. It was these fishermen who named the boy Cycnus, for it was said that they observed a swan flying down to him.
Some sources though say that Cycnus was named for his pale complexion, white eyes, white lips and fair hair, reminiscent of a swan.
The mother of Cycnus was not enamoured with giving birth to the son of Poseidon though, for the newborn boy would be exposed upon the sea’s coast. Obviously the boy did not die, for fishermen came upon him and saved him. It was these fishermen who named the boy Cycnus, for it was said that they observed a swan flying down to him.
Some sources though say that Cycnus was named for his pale complexion, white eyes, white lips and fair hair, reminiscent of a swan.
Family Trouble for Cycnus
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Nothing is said of the childhood of Cycnus but when an adult, Cycnus was named as the king of Colonae, a city of the Troad.
Cycnus would marry Procleia a daughter of King Laomedon of Troy, making Cycnus brother-in-law to Priam. With Procleia, Cycnus would become parent to a son and a daughter, Tennes and Hemithea. Procleia would die though, and Cycnus would remarry a woman by the name of Philonome. Philonome would be smitten with her step-son Tennes, and would attempt to seduce him. Tennes would reject the advances of Cycnus’ wife, but in retribution for the rejection, Philonome would tell Cycnus that Tennes had attempted to rape her. To make her lie more believable, Philonome produced a witness in the form of a flute-player named Eumolpos (Molpus). Cycnus would believe his new wife, and in a rage, set Tennes and Hemithea adrift at sea. Grandchildren of Poseidon were unlikely to be harmed by the sea and the children of Cycnus would safely was up on the island of Leucophrys, an island named for its white cliffs; Tennes though would take possession of the island, and subsequently renamed it Tenedos after himself. Later on Cycnus would discover that Philonome had lied to him, and thus Cycnus had Philonome killed, for his wife was buried alive, and Eumolpos was stoned to death. Then Cycnus, having discovered that his children were alive upon the island of Tenedos sought to reunite with them. |
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Tennes would not be reconciled with his father though, and when his father tried to land on Tenedos, Tennes cut the anchor rope, thus Cycnus would have to return to Colonae without his son and daughter.
Tennes would then claim that he was not a son of Cycnus, but was instead the son of the Greek god Apollo.
Cycnus was also named as father to three further children, sons, Cobis and Corianus, and daughter, Glauce, although the mother of these children is again not made clear.
Tennes would then claim that he was not a son of Cycnus, but was instead the son of the Greek god Apollo.
Cycnus was also named as father to three further children, sons, Cobis and Corianus, and daughter, Glauce, although the mother of these children is again not made clear.
Cycnus Defender of Troy
Cycnus would gain a reputation as a warrior during the Trojan War, for Cycnus was an ally of King Priam.
Cycnus certainly had an advantage over many who would fight at Troy, for his father, Poseidon, had made Cycnus invulnerable to sword and spear. Thus, when the 1000 ships of the Achaean armada attempted to disembark their troops on the Troad, they were met with a Trojan force led by Hector and Cycnus.
Eventually the Achaeans managed to land some troops on Trojan soil, although the first hero to land, Protesilaus, was quickly killed, just as a prophecy foretold. Some tell of Protesilaus having been killed by Cycnus, although it is more commonly said that Hector performed this deed.
Briefly the Trojans were pushed back, but when a lull in fighting allowed for the funeral of Protesilaus, Cycnus led another attack, an attack in which a thousand Achaean soldiers were said to have died beneath his weapons.
Cycnus certainly had an advantage over many who would fight at Troy, for his father, Poseidon, had made Cycnus invulnerable to sword and spear. Thus, when the 1000 ships of the Achaean armada attempted to disembark their troops on the Troad, they were met with a Trojan force led by Hector and Cycnus.
Eventually the Achaeans managed to land some troops on Trojan soil, although the first hero to land, Protesilaus, was quickly killed, just as a prophecy foretold. Some tell of Protesilaus having been killed by Cycnus, although it is more commonly said that Hector performed this deed.
Briefly the Trojans were pushed back, but when a lull in fighting allowed for the funeral of Protesilaus, Cycnus led another attack, an attack in which a thousand Achaean soldiers were said to have died beneath his weapons.
Cycnus and Achilles
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Soon the noted heroes of the Achaean army were roused into action, and Achilles mounted his war chariot and charged at the Trojan army, seeking out either Cycnus or Hector.
At this time Achilles was unaware of Cycnus’ invulnerability, and thus when he spied the Trojan defender, Achilles threw his spear at Cycnus. Achilles was certainly surprised when despite hitting where it was aimed, no harm came to Cycnus. Cycnus would mock Achilles for his inability to harm him, and even went as far as removing his armour. Achilles continued to throw spears at the now unarmoured Cycnus, and yet the Trojan just stood there and laughed as the spears rebounded off of his body. To prove to himself that he had not suddenly lost his strength and skill, Achilles would unleash a spear at another Trojan defender, Menoetes, and this spear found its mark piercing the armour of Menoetes and killing him; but through all of this, Cycnus continued to mock Achilles. In a rage, Achilles descended from his chariot and sought to use his sword on Cycnus, but Achilles sword simply blunted on the skin of Cycnus, as the spears had done before so. Now truly enraged, Achilles started to batter Cycnus, and under the weight of blows Cycnus started to back away. As he did so, Cycnus tripped over a large stone falling to the ground, and at once Achilles pounced upon his foe, and kneeling upon Cycnus, Achilles wrapped his helmet strap around the throat of his opponent, strangling Cycnus until he was dead. Alternatively Cycnus might have died when Achilles threw a millstone at the Trojan, with the stone striking him on neck, killing him. |
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The Transformation of Cycnus
Ovid, in the Metamorphoses, would tell of the transformation of Cycnus, by Poseidon, after his death, Cycnus taking on the very form of the swan after which he was named.
The Impact of Cycnus' Death
Nestor would subsequently tell the Achaean leaders of how similar Cycnus and Caeneus were; Caeneus being an invulnerable Lapith of the previous generation who had taken part in the Centauromachy.
The fierce fighting caused a change in plan for the Achaean’s and rather than go direct to the walls of Troy, the Achaean’s instead plundered weaker cities in the Troad. Thus it was that Colonae, the city of Cycnus was soon under attack. The people of Colonae though ransomed their city, be presenting the children of Cycnus, Cobis, Corianus and Glauce to the Achaean forces; and subsequently Glauce would become a war-prize of Ajax the Greater.
Cycnus’ son Tennes would also die during the Trojan War, for before the Achaean’s reached Troy, they stopped at Tenedos, and there, Achilles sought to seduce Hemithea. Seeking to protect his sister’s virtue, Tennes fought with Achilles, but the son of Peleus would kill the son of Cycnus.
The fierce fighting caused a change in plan for the Achaean’s and rather than go direct to the walls of Troy, the Achaean’s instead plundered weaker cities in the Troad. Thus it was that Colonae, the city of Cycnus was soon under attack. The people of Colonae though ransomed their city, be presenting the children of Cycnus, Cobis, Corianus and Glauce to the Achaean forces; and subsequently Glauce would become a war-prize of Ajax the Greater.
Cycnus’ son Tennes would also die during the Trojan War, for before the Achaean’s reached Troy, they stopped at Tenedos, and there, Achilles sought to seduce Hemithea. Seeking to protect his sister’s virtue, Tennes fought with Achilles, but the son of Peleus would kill the son of Cycnus.
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