Abas (mythology)

In Greek mythology, the name Abas (Ancient Greek: Ἄβας; gen.: Ἄβαντος) is attributed to several individuals:

• Abas, king of Argos.^[1]
• Abas, the son of Poseidon and Arethusa.^[2] A Thracian by birth, Abas founded a tribe known as the Abantians or Abantes. Abas and his Abantian followers migrated to the island of Euboea, where he subsequently reigned as king. He was father of Canethus^[3] and Chalcodon, and through the latter grandfather of Elephenor, who is known to have accidentally killed him.^[4] Also given as Abas' children are Alcon, Arethusa and Dias, of whom the latter was said to have founded a city Athenae on Euboea.^[5]
• Abas, a son of Metaneira who was changed by Demeter into a lizard, because he mocked the goddess when she had come on her wanderings into the house of his mother, and drank eagerly to quench her thirst.^[6] Other traditions relate the same story of a boy, Ascalabus, and call his mother Misme.^[7]
• Abas, an Argive seer, son of Melampus and Iphianeira. He was the father of Coeranus, Idmon, and Lysimache.^[8][9][10]
• Abas, a companion of Perseus.^[11]
• Abas, a Centaur who attended the wedding of Pirithous and Hippodamia.^[12]
• Abas, a defender of Thebes against the Seven. He and his sons Cydon and Argus were killed in the battle.^[13]
• Abas, the son of the Trojan Eurydamas; he fought in the Trojan War and was killed by Diomedes.^[14]
• Abas, another defender of Troy, was killed by Sthenelus.^[15]
• Abas, one of Diomedes' companions, whom Aphrodite turned into a swan.^[16]

In the Aeneid, the name Abas belongs to two companions of Aeneas:

• Abas, a captain whose ship was routed in the storm off Carthage.^[17]
• Abas, an Etruscan ally from Populonia in the war against the Rutulians and the Latians.^[18]

References

Sources

• Schmitz, Leonhard (1867). "Abas". In William Smith. Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. 1. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. pp. 1–2.
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). "Abas". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.
• Greek Mythology Link - Dictionary: Abarbarea to Aetius