- Autolycus
In
Greek mythology , Autolycus (in Greek, "polytonic|Αὐτόλυκος" – "Lone Wolf") was a son ofHermes and Chione.He was the father of
Anticlea (who marriedLaertes of Ithaca and was the mother ofOdysseus ) and of several sons of whom onlyAesimus is named.Autolycus was a renowned
thief (skills passed down by his father, the King of Thieves and Messenger God) and a formidable exponent ofwrestling (which he taught toHeracles ). Autolycus stole thecattle ofSisyphus as well as the helmet that his grandson, Odysseus (whom he thus named), wore during theTrojan War . Autolycus was one of theArgonauts . He is also purported to have been the one who tookEurytus ' (see the main article, "Eurytus ") mares (or cattle), leading to the murder of one his sons,Iphitus , by Heracles.Although not as well known as many other Greek mythological figures, Autolycus has appeared in a number of works of fiction. A comic thief in Shakespeare's "
The Winter's Tale " boasts that he is named after Autolycus and, like him, is "a snapper-up of unconsidered trifles". In thetelevision series ' and ', Autolycus appeared as a somewhat bumbling and comicalantihero , referring to himself as the "King of Thieves". Although occasionally uncoordinated, he was also a cunning thief, portrayed by cult actorBruce Campbell .Autolycus is also the name of a fictional racehorse in the 1934 film "
The Clairvoyant ", starringClaude Rains .ources
*Apollodorus.
Bibliotheke I, ix, 16; II, iv, 9; vi, 2.
*Ovid . Metamorphoses XI, 301-17;Homer .Iliad X, 265-271.
*Homer .Odyssey XI, 84-6; XIX,395-566.External links
* [http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/greek-mythology.php?deity=AUTOLYCUS Godchecker - Autolycus: The Prince of Thieves]
* [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Autolycus Classic Encyclopedia (1911) - Autolycus]
* [http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/autolycus.html Encyclopedia Mythica - Autolycus]
* [http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/autoly.htm Marvel Characters - Captain Autolycus]
* [http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Lair/2001/ Autolycus: The Herculean Thief's Page]
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