Melampus
Publié le 22/02/2012
Extrait du document
Greek A descendant of Aeolis and a
cousin of Jason. Melampus was a seer, taught by the
god Apollo, and perhaps the first mortal in Greek
mythology to possess prophetic powers.
One story has it that Melampus saved the lives of
a nest of young snakes. In gratitude they "cleaned out
Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini (1598-1680) created
this bust of the witch Medusa and the snakes
that form her hair. It is in the Musei Capitolini in
Rome. (Photograph by Marie-Lan Nguyen.)
his ears" with their forked tongues so that he could
hear and understand the languages of birds and other
animals. Melampus used this special knowledge to
win a bride for his brother, Bias. The desired maiden
was Pero, daughter of King Neleus of Pylos, in the
kingdom of Messene on the west-central coast of
the Peloponnesus. Neleus asked as bride-price, or
dowry, the cattle of a neighboring king, Phylacus.
The cattle were guarded by a dog that never slept.
Melampus was caught trying to steal them and
thrown into a prison cell. During the night, he heard
worms gnawing at a beam and saying that the beam
would fall by dawn. Melampus demanded a new cell.
When the roof of his old cell crashed down, Phylacus
was so impressed that he released Melampus.
Phylacus then begged Melampus to cure the
sickness of his son, Iphiclus, with his magic powers.
Melampus heard two birds talking to each other
about a knife that had been stuck into an oak tree for
many years. By finding the knife and scraping its rust
onto Iphiclus, Melampus cured the boy's affliction.
As a reward, Melampus was given the cattle and his
brother Bias got the bride.
In Argos, another kingdom of the Peloponnesus,
Melampus helped rid the king's daughters of madness
by immersing them in a holy well. As a reward, he
won part of the kingdom of King Proetus and took
one of the now sane daughters as his bride.