A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

14 OEAGRUS.- OEBOTAS.
xiii. 377, xiv. 90, xvi. 247). That he might be OEAGRUS (Oiaypos), a king of Thrace, and
able to take vengeance upon them, it was necessary father of Orpheus and Linus (Apollod. i. 3. ~ 2
that he should not be recognised, in order to avail Orph. Argoz. 73; Ov. Ib. 484). Hence the sisters
himself of any favourable moment that might pre- of Orpheus are called Oeagrides, in the sense of
sent itself. Athena accordingly metamorphosed the Muses. (Mosch. iii. 37.) [L. S.]
him into an unsightly beggar, in which appearance OEAX (Ofau), a son of Nauplius and Clymene,
he was kindly treated by Eumaeus, the swineherd, and brother of Palamedes and Nausimedon (Apollod.
a faithful servant of his house (xiii. 70, &c. xiv.). ii. 1. in fin. iii. 2. ~ 2; Eurip. Orest. 432). [L.S.]
While he was staying with Eumaeus, his son OE'BALUS (O'fahos). 1. A son of Cynortas,
Telemachus returned from Sparta and Pylos, and husband of Gorgophone, by whom he became
whither he had gone to obtain information con- the father of Tyndareos, Peirene, and Arene, was
cerning his father. Odysseus made himself known king of Sparta, where he was afterwards honoured
to him, and with him deliberated upon the plan of with an heroum (Paus. iii. 1. ~ 3, 15. ~ 7, ii. 2. ~
revenge (xvi. 187, &c. 300). In the disguise of a 3, iv. 2. ~ 3). According to others he was a son
beggar he accompanied Telemachus and Eumaeus of Perieres and a grandson of Cynortas, and was
to the town; on his arrival he was abused and in- married to the nymph Bateia, by whom he had
suited by the goat-herd Melantheus and the suitors, several children (Apollod. iii. 10. ~ 4; Schol. Ia
who even tried to kill Telemachus; but his old Eurip. Orest. 447). The patronymic Oebalides
dog and his nurse Eurycleia recognised him, and is not only applied to his descendants, bhut to the
Penelope received him kindly. Spartans generally, and hence it occurs as an
The plan of revenge was now carried into effect. epithet or surname of IJyacinthus, Castor, Pollux
Penelope, with great difficulty, was made to promise and Helena (Ov. lb. 590, Fast. v. 705, HIer. xvi.
her hand to him who should conquer the others 126.)
in shooting with the bow of Odysseus. As none 2. A son of Telon by a nymph of the stream
of the suitors was able to manage it, Odysseus'Sebethus, near Naples. Telon, originally a king
himself took it up, and having ordered all the doors of the Teleboans, had come from the island of
to be shut, and all arms to be removed, he began Taphos to Capreae, in Italy; and Oebalus settled
his contest with the suitors, in which he was sup- in Campania. (Virg. Aen. vii. 734, with Serv.
ported by Athena, his son, and some faithful ser- note.) [L. S.]
veants. All fell by his hands, the faithless male OEBARES (OidpWs). 1. A Persian, an officer
and female servants as well as the suitors; the of Cyrus. According to Ctesias (uap. Phot. Bibl.
minstrel and Medon, the herald, alone were saved 72), when Astyages was taken at Ecbatana,whither
(xxii.). Odysseus now made himself known to he had fled from Cyrus, Oebares threw him into
Penelope, and went to see his aged father. In the chains, from which, however, Cyrus released him.
meantime the report of the death of the suitors Ctesias further tells us that, at the siege of Sardis,
was spread abroad, and their relatives now rose in Oebares advised Cyrus to terrify the citizens by
arms against Odysseus; but Athena, who assumed images of Persians placed on high poles and made
the appearance of Mentor, brought about a recon- to look like gigantic soldiers, and that the fear thus
ciliation between the people and the king (xxiii. caused mainly led to the capture of the town.
xxiv.). When Cyrus sent Petisaces to bring Astyages to
It has already been remarked that in the Homeric court from his satrapy (the country of the Barpoems, Odysseus is represented as a prudent, cnn- canii), Oebares instigated the messenger to leave
iang, inventive and eloquent man, but at the same the old king to perish in a desert place, and, when
time as a brave, bold, and persevering warrior, the deed was discovered, starved himself to death
whose courage no misfortune or calamity could to avoid the vengeance of Amytis (Astyages's
subdue, but later poets describe him as a cowardly, daughter), in spite of all the assurances of protecdeceitful, and intriguing personage (Virg. Aen. ii. tion which Cyrus gave him.
164; Ov. Met. xiii. 6, &c.; Philostr. Her. ii. 20). 2. A groom of Dareins Hystaspis. According
Respecting the last period of his life the Homeric to HIerodotus, when the seven conspirators, after
poems give us no information, except the prophecy slaying Smerdis, had decided on the continuance of
of Teiresias, who promised him a painless death in monarchy, they' agreed to ride forth together at
a happy old age (Od. xi. 119); but later writers sunrise, and to acknowledge as king any one of
give us different accounts. According to one, their numnber whose horse should be the first to
Telegonus, tile son of Odysseus by Circe, was sent neigh. Oebares, by a stratagem, caused the horse
out by his mother to seek his father. A storm of Dareius to neigh before the rest, anlld thllus
cast him upon Ithaca, which he began to plunder secured the throne for his master. (IIerod. iii.
in order to obtain provisions. Odysseus and Tele- 84-87.)
machus attacked him, but he slew Odysseus, and 3. Son of Megabazus, was viceroy of Dascyleitium,
his body was afterwards carried to Aeaea (Hygin. in Bithynia. He received the submission of the
Fab. 127; Dict. Cret. vi. 15; Horat. Caurus2. iii. Cyzicenes to Dareius Hystaspis, about a. c. 494.
29. 8). According to some Circe called Odysseus (Herod. vi. 33; comp. Aesch. Pers. 9830, ed.
to life again, or on his arrival in Tyrrhenia, he was Schiitz.) [E. E.]
burnt on Mount Perge (Tzetz. ad Lye. 795, &c.). OEBO'TAS (Oio6'rae), the son of Oc11ias, of
IIln works of art Odysseus was commonly repre- Dyme in Achlaea, was victorious in the foot-race at
sented as a sailor, wearing the semi-oval cap of a Olympia, in the sixth Olympiad, B. c. 756. MIis
sailor. (Plin. IL NV. xxxv. 36; Pans. x. 26. ~ 1, countrymen, however, having conferred upon him
29. ~ 2; Eustath. ad Horu. p. 804.) [L. S.] no distinguished mark of honour, although he was
OEAGRUS (O'iaypos) a tragic actor at Athens, the first Achaean who had gained an Olympic vic.
who appears to have been particularly successful in tory, he imprecated upon them the curse that no
the character of Niobe. (Arist. Vesjp. 579; Schol. Achalean should ever agains conquer- iun the games;
adc lot.) LE. E.] anld, in fact, for three hundred years, not at single