MELAMPUS (mythical king of Argos)

He traveled to Thessaly to satisfy his brother Bias regarding cattle, but was caught by the herdsmen of Iphiclus attempting to steal the cows.^1,13,14,15 Bound by the herdsmen, he suffered severe hardship in the household of Iphiclus, a suffering caused by Pero, and was taken bound to Aegina.^6,8,15 During this time, he buried the serpent killed by Polyphantes and raised its offspring, which licked his ears to inspire him with prophecy.¹⁵ After meeting Apollo at the Alpheus river, he became an excellent soothsayer who gained the ability to predict the future by understanding the voices of birds.^1,9

Seeking to avenge the wrongs done to him, he drove cattle from Phylace to Pylos.^12,13 He learned various things from Egypt and made few changes to the practices he taught, acquiring the skill of taking auspices while refusing to divine by dreams or other methods.^9,1,4

When the Argives requested his help to cure the madness afflicting their women, he demanded a share of the kingdom equal to Anaxagoras' in exchange for the cure.^11,16 He agreed to cure the maidens only after his brother Bias received equal land, and the Argives agreed to give a third of the kingship to Bias.^3,17 He chased the mad women from the mountains to Sicyon using shouts and a frenzied dance, then led the cured daughters of Proetus down from a cave to a location named Lusi.^3,18,19

After establishing himself in Argos, he married and became the father of Abas, Cisseus, Gyas, Antiphates, and Mantius, securing a royal share for himself and his brother Bias.^{12,20,21,6,16} He taught the Greeks the name of Dionysus, the method of sacrificing to him, and the practice of carrying the phallus in his honor, acquiring this worship from Cadmus and his Phoenician companions.^22,9,23 Though he did not fully reveal all details of the subject, leaving fuller revelation to later teachers, his legacy endured through his descendant Megistias the Acarnanian and the altar he constructed for Athena.^22,24,25