PHINEUS (son of Agenor in Greek mythology)

Once, Phineus possessed the gift of divination and the prophetic art to predict the future accurately, a talent granted by Apollo that allowed him to free people from their woes.^7,1,6 He was married to Cleopatra, daughter of Boreas and Oreithyia, with whom he had a son named Plexippus, and later to Idaea, daughter of Dardanus, king of the Scythians.^9,1,10 His life turned to torment when the gods allegedly blinded him for revealing the future to men, a punishment that left his sightless eyes permanently damaged.^3,11 Other accounts suggest he was blinded as a consequence of revealing the route to Phrixus.^12,13

In his home near Salmydessus, Phineus endured the torment of the Harpies, bird-like creatures sent by the gods to swoop down and steal his food.^3,14,7,15 When the Argonauts landed after a storm, Phineus agreed to advise them on their voyage route if they removed these pests.^3,16,10,17 The sons of Boreas, Zetes and Calais, pursued the Harpies with tireless strength, though they failed to catch them before Iris intervened to stop them from killing the creatures.^3,18 As a pledge, the Harpies were fated to never again approach the home of Phineus, securing his protection from their future attacks.^19,20,21

With the Harpies banished, Phineus guided the heroes through the dangers of the sea, advising them on how to safely navigate the Clashing Rocks by releasing a dove to test the passage.¹⁶ He spoke gently amid the throng of oarsmen, offering words of wisdom that pleased the group and predicting that their future toils would be lightly accomplished.^6,22 His injunctions were remembered by the warriors, and he predicted that the Cyprian goddess would aid their return journey.^23,24 He blinded his two stepsons, a deed witnessed by Ares, though some writers claim he blinded his own sons, while other accounts state his wife blinded them.^{9,10,25,26,14}

Phineus was described as the most righteous individual, giving oracles willingly to all neighbors regardless of their poverty.^27,6 He owned sheep and sent his servant Paraebius to bring the choicest ones for the feast, where the chiefs cleaned his squalid skin before he feasted ravenously.^6,28