Pausanias Analysis

Since I earnestly wished to find out who were the children born to Polycaon from Messene, I examined carefully both the works called the “Eoiae” and the “Naupactian Epics,” as well as all the genealogies composed by Cinaethon and Asius. Yet in these writings nothing on this subject was included at all, except that I know the “Great Eoiae” say Polycaon, son of Butes, married Euaechme, daughter of Hyllus, son of Heracles; however, concerning Messene herself and Messene’s husband they pass entirely over in silence.

Some time later, when no descendants of Polycaon were left, after five generations had passed—I believe not more—they introduced Perieres, son of Aeolus, as their king. According to the Messenians, Melaneus came to him, a man skilled in archery and for this reason held to be a son of Apollo. Perieres granted him that territory called Carnasium, though at that time it was named Oechalia, to settle and dwell in. They say the city was given the name Oechalia from the wife of Melaneus.

Now, the Thessalians and the Euboeans—for indeed most matters in Greece are subject to dispute—give differing accounts: the Thessalians maintain that Eurytion (which in our time is a deserted locale) was in ancient days a city called Oechalia; the Euboean tradition, however, is supported by Creophylus, who composed a poem titled "Heracleia" agreeing with their account. Hecataeus the Milesian wrote that Oechalia belonged to the territory of Eretria, specifically in the Scian district. But to my mind, the Messenians’ account on these points seems more credible, especially regarding the bones of Eurytus, concerning which I will provide further details later in my narrative.

Perieres had two sons by Gorgophone, daughter of Perseus, Aphareus and Leucippus, and when Perieres died, these sons assumed power over the Messenians; however, Aphareus was the more authoritative ruler. During his reign as king, Aphareus founded a city named Arene after the daughter of Oebalus, who was also his own wife and maternal half-sister. For Gorgophone had also married Oebalus; indeed, I have already mentioned her twice previously, both in my account of Argolis and in my work on Laconia.

Aphareus founded the city of Arene in Messenia and welcomed into his home Neleus, the son of Cretheus son of Aeolus, surnamed Poseidon, who was his cousin and fleeing from Pelias out of Iolcus. He gave to him the land along the sea, where among other towns was Pylos, and it was there that Neleus settled and established his royal dwelling.

Lykos, son of Pandion, had also come to Arene when he himself was fleeing Athens away from his brother Aegeus; and he revealed the mysteries of the Great Gods to Aphareus, his children, and his wife Arene. He showed them these rites after leading them to Andania, because it was there also that Kaukon had initiated Messene.

Of the sons of Aphareus, Idas was elder and braver, while the younger was Lynceus, who, according to Pindar—if one trusts him—had eyesight so sharp that he could see even through the trunk of an oak tree. No child of Lynceus, as far as we know, was ever born; but Idas had by Marpessa a daughter, Cleopatra, who married Meleager. The author of the epic poem called the Cypria says that the wife of Protesilaus—the one who first dared to land when the Greeks arrived at Troy—was named Polydora, and calls her daughter of Meleager son of Oeneus. If this is true, then these three women, beginning with Marpessa, all preceded their husbands in death, each one killing herself intentionally after her husband's demise.