NAUPLIUS (king of Nauplia)
Figure of myth · king of Nauplia, son of Poseidon in Greek mythology
- Parents
- Poseidon, Amymone
- Consorts
- Hesione
- Children
- Palamedes, Oeax, Damastor, Proetus
- In the sources
- 16 ancient passages
Nauplius, son of Poseidon and Amymone, the daughter of Danaus, stood as a figure of immense nautical prowess and tragic fate.1,2,3,4 Descended from the divine lineage of Danaus, he was renowned for surpassing all other men in his skill at naval matters.3,2 The accounts of his parentage vary, with some traditions naming Clytonaeus, son of Naubolus, as his father, while others maintain his divine origin.2,1,3
In the affairs of state, Nauplius was commanded by Aleus to drown Auge in the sea, though he chose not to carry out this order.5,6 Instead of killing her, he handed Auge over to Teuthras, prince of Teuthrania, or to Carians setting out for Asia, depending on the account.3,5,7 He founded the city of Nauplia in Argolis, settling the Nauplians there two generations after their arrival, and the town stands next to the district of Temenium.4,8,5,9
His family life was marked by conflicting reports regarding his wife, whom tragic poets named Clymene, daughter of Catreus, while the poet Cercops identified her as Hesione.1 On one occasion, Nauplius eagerly attempted to steer the ship after Ancaeus took the helm, but other companions prevented him from doing so.10
The codex facts behind this entry
Nauplius was the son of Poseidon and a descendant of the divine Danaus. Apollodorus 2.7.4 +1
In the myths
Nauplius used beacon lights to lure sailors to their deaths. Apollodorus 2.1.5 +2 Aleus commanded Nauplius to drown Auge in the sea. Diodorus 4.33 +1 Nauplius received Auge from her father to sell her far away or put her to death. Apollodorus 2.7.4 +1
