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Perses (Titan)

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Perses
Genealogy
ParentsCrius and Eurybia
SiblingsPallas and Astraeus
ConsortAsteria
ChildrenHecate, Chariclo

In Greek mythology, Perses (/ˈpɜːrsiz/ PUR-seez; Ancient Greek: Πέρσης, romanizedPérsēs, lit.'destroyer') is the son of the Titan Crius and Eurybia, and thus brother to Astraeus and Pallas. Ancient tradition records very little of Perses other than his marriage and offspring, his role largely being genealogical, existing merely to provide a parentage for other, more important figures.

Etymology

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His name is derived from the Ancient Greek word perthō (πέρθω – "to sack", "to ravage", "to destroy").

Family

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According to the Theogony, Perses was born to Crius, one of the original twelve Titans, and Eurybia.[1] He had two brothers, Astraeus and Pallas.[2][3]

Mythology

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Hesiod "oddly" describes Perses as "eminent among all men in wisdom."[2][4] He was wed to his cousin Asteria, the daughter of Phoebe and Coeus,[5][3] with whom he had one child, Hecate, honoured by the king of the gods Zeus above all others as the goddess of magic, crossroads, and witchcraft.[4] In a lesser-known tradition mentioned by Musaeus, the father of Hecate was Zeus himself;[6] Zeus kept Asteria as his mistress for some time before giving her to Perses.[7][8]

He might be the Perses that is the father of Chariclo, the wife of Chiron, in some versions.[9]

He was sometimes confused with another Perses (the son of the sun-god Helios and the nymph Perse), who was made the father of Hecate in some versions.[10]

Family tree

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Family of Eurybia and Crius
PontusGaiaUranus
EurybiaCrius
AstraeusEosPersesAsteriaPallasStyx
BoreasAstraeaHecateZelusKratos
NotusEosphorusNikeBia
EurusStars
Zephyrus

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Thurmann, Stephanie (October 1, 2006). "Perses". In Cancik, Hubert; Schneider, Helmuth (eds.). Brill's New Pauly. Kiel: Brill Reference Online. doi:10.1163/1574-9347_bnp_e915170. ISSN 1574-9347. Retrieved December 27, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Hesiod, Theogony, 375.
  3. ^ a b Apollodorus, Bibliotheca, 1.8.
  4. ^ a b Gantz 1993, p. 26.
  5. ^ Hesiod, Theogony, 404.
  6. ^ Musaeus as cited by a scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius's Argonautica 3.467
  7. ^ Fowler 2000, pp. 32–33.
  8. ^ Diels 1907, p. 487.
  9. ^ Scholia on Pindar P.4.82
  10. ^ Diodorus Siculus, Historic Library 4.45.2

References

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