![]() Then he built himself a fleet, gathered a great following, and fled beyond the sea, for he was menaced by the other sons and grandsons of Hēraklēs. When Tlepolemos grew up, he killed his father’s uncle Likymnios, scion of Arēs, who had been a famous warrior in his time, but was then grown old. ![]() These were commanded by Tlepolemos, son of mighty Hēraklēs and born of Astyochea, whom he had carried off from Ephyra, on the river Selleis, after destroying many cities of valiant warriors. These dwelt in Rhodes which is divided among the three cities of Lindos, Ialysos, and Kameiros, that lies upon the chalk. Tlepolemos, son of Hēraklēs, a man both brave and large of stature, brought nine ships of lordly warriors from Rhodes. The troops cited in the passage come from the three cities that were Dorians, after the arrival of the son of Herakles. The island of Rhodes and its three cities are also mentioned in Homeric poetry, in the Catalogue of Ships in Iliad 2 in the Sourcebook and also and in Gregory Nagy’s Commentary on this passage. (The city of Rhodes was founded much later at the end of the 5th century BCE: see below.) The Ode mentions three cities, Lindos, Ialysos, and Kameiros, on the island of Rhodes. So one island is born and another one vanishes.Īre there different myths concerning the birth or creation of the isle? Maybe, but Pindar’s celebration of the island is lovely, as he writes “….And now, with the music of flute and lyre alike I have come to land …singing the sea-child of Aphrodite and bride of Helios, Rhodes, ” So Rhodes emerged from the salty sea and became the island of the god Helios, in contrast to Thera where we have an island that disappears into the salty sea. Pindar Olympian 7 For Diagoras of Rhodes Boxing-Match 464 B. Each had his own separate share of cities in their threefold division of their father’s land, and their dwelling-places were named after them. And there he once lay with Rhodes, and begat seven sons who inherited from him the wisest minds in the time of earlier men and of these one begat Cameirus, and Ialysus the eldest, and Lindus. There grew from the waters of the sea an island, which is held by the birthgiving father of piercing rays, the ruler of fire-breathing horses. And the essence of his words was fulfilled and turned out to be true. And he bid Lachesis of the golden headband raise her hands right away, and speak, correctly and earnestly, the great oath of the gods, and consent with the son of Cronus that that island, when it had risen into the shining air, should thereafter be his own prize of honor. For he said that he himself saw in the gray sea, growing from the bottom, a rich, productive land for men, and a kindly one for flocks. And when Helios mentioned it, Zeus was about to order a new casting of lots, but Helios did not allow him. Helios was absent, and no one marked out a share for him in fact they left him without any allotment of land, although he was a holy god. The ancient stories of men tell that when Zeus and the immortals were dividing the earth among them, Rhodes was not yet visible in the expanse of the sea, but the island was hidden in the salty depths. Zeus was going to do a new division of land, but then Helios saw an amazing thing happening… ![]() Helios, a very powerful god, was not very pleased indeed, and he followed the usual scenario when gods are unhappy: he complained to Zeus. The gods were allotting shares of land among themselves, and as they were dividing the earth they forgot Helios who was not present. Meanwhile, as often, the gods were taking an important decision, but one of them was absent. A long time ago, Rhodes did not yet exist above the sea it was hidden under the sea. ![]() The origin of this large island is evoked by Pindar in Olympian 7. This, then, is the most excellent of the votive offerings (at any rate, it is by common agreement one of the Seven Wonders) In accordance with a certain oracle, the people did not raise it again. The best of these are, first, the Colossus of Helius, of which the author of the iambic verse says, “seven times ten cubits in height, the work of Chares the Lindian but it now lies on the ground, having been thrown down by an earthquake and broken at the knees. Rhodes is well known for its famous statue of the Kolossos of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, but the Kolossos (the god Helios) was destroyed during an earthquake in c226BCE, and it was not rebuilt according to Strabo. In this post, following the one on Thera, I offer you a safe and virtual journey through time to another Greek island of the Aegean Sea. ![]()
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