Acestes
Encyclopedia
In Roman mythology
, Acestes or Egestes (Greek ) was the son of the Sicilian river-god Crinisus
by a Dardania
n or Trojan
woman named Egesta or Segesta.
According to Servius, this woman Egesta or Segesta was sent by her father, Hippotes or Ipsostratus, to Sicily
, that she might not be devoured by the monsters, which infested the territory of Troy
, and which had been sent into the land, because the Trojans had refused to reward Poseidon
and Apollo
for having built the walls of their city. When Egesta arrived in Sicily, the river-god Crinisus
in the form of a bear or a dog sired with her a son named Acestes, who was afterwards regarded as the hero who had founded the town of Segesta
.
A slight variation on the tradition has it that Acestes welcomed Aeneas
when he arrived in Sicily
. The funeral games of Aeneas' father Anchises
were held there. Those of Aeneas' folk who wished to voyage no further were allowed to remain behind with Acestes and together with Acestes' people they founded the city of Acesta, that is Segesta
.
, who calls him Aegestus , is different, for according to him, the grandfather of Aegestus quarreled with Laomedon
, who slew him and gave his daughters to some merchants to convey them to a distant land. A noble Trojan however embarked with them, and married one of them in Sicily, where she subsequently gave birth to a son, Aegestus. During the war against Troy Aegestus obtained permission from Priam
to return and take part in the contest, and afterwards returned to Sicily, where Aeneas
on his arrival was hospitably received by him and Elymus
, and built for them the towns of Aegesta
and Elyme. The account of Dionysius seems to be nothing but a rationalistic interpretation of the genuine legend.
, Acestes participates in a trial of skill in which he shoots his arrow
which then bursts into flame as a sign from Jupiter of Acestes' deserved honor.
Roman mythology
Roman mythology is the body of traditional stories pertaining to ancient Rome's legendary origins and religious system, as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans...
, Acestes or Egestes (Greek ) was the son of the Sicilian river-god Crinisus
Crinisus
This is also the name of a river in Sicily, the River Crinisus.Crinisus was a god in Roman mythology. According to Virgil's Aeneid and Hyginus' Fabulae , Crinisus was the father of Acestes by a Dardanian woman....
by a Dardania
Dardania (Asia minor)
Dardania in Greek mythology is the name of a city founded on Mount Ida by Dardanus from which also the region and the people took their name. It lay on the Hellespont, and is the source of the strait's modern name, the Dardanelles....
n or Trojan
Troy
Troy was a city, both factual and legendary, located in northwest Anatolia in what is now Turkey, southeast of the Dardanelles and beside Mount Ida...
woman named Egesta or Segesta.
According to Servius, this woman Egesta or Segesta was sent by her father, Hippotes or Ipsostratus, to Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, that she might not be devoured by the monsters, which infested the territory of Troy
Troy
Troy was a city, both factual and legendary, located in northwest Anatolia in what is now Turkey, southeast of the Dardanelles and beside Mount Ida...
, and which had been sent into the land, because the Trojans had refused to reward Poseidon
Poseidon
Poseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
and Apollo
Apollo
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
for having built the walls of their city. When Egesta arrived in Sicily, the river-god Crinisus
Crinisus
This is also the name of a river in Sicily, the River Crinisus.Crinisus was a god in Roman mythology. According to Virgil's Aeneid and Hyginus' Fabulae , Crinisus was the father of Acestes by a Dardanian woman....
in the form of a bear or a dog sired with her a son named Acestes, who was afterwards regarded as the hero who had founded the town of Segesta
Segesta
Segesta was the political center of the Elymian people, located in the northwestern part of Sicily, in what are now the province of Trapani and the comune of Calatafimi-Segesta....
.
A slight variation on the tradition has it that Acestes welcomed Aeneas
Aeneas
Aeneas , in Greco-Roman mythology, was a Trojan hero, the son of the prince Anchises and the goddess Aphrodite. His father was the second cousin of King Priam of Troy, making Aeneas Priam's second cousin, once removed. The journey of Aeneas from Troy , which led to the founding a hamlet south of...
when he arrived in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. The funeral games of Aeneas' father Anchises
Anchises
In Greek mythology, Anchises was the son of Capys and Themiste . His major claim to fame in Greek mythology is that he was a mortal lover of the goddess Aphrodite . One version is that Aphrodite pretended to be a Phrygian princess and seduced him for nearly two weeks of lovemaking...
were held there. Those of Aeneas' folk who wished to voyage no further were allowed to remain behind with Acestes and together with Acestes' people they founded the city of Acesta, that is Segesta
Segesta
Segesta was the political center of the Elymian people, located in the northwestern part of Sicily, in what are now the province of Trapani and the comune of Calatafimi-Segesta....
.
Mythological tradition of Dionysius
The tradition of Acestes in Dionysius of HalicarnassusDionysius of Halicarnassus
Dionysius of Halicarnassus was a Greek historian and teacher of rhetoric, who flourished during the reign of Caesar Augustus. His literary style was Attistic — imitating Classical Attic Greek in its prime.-Life:...
, who calls him Aegestus , is different, for according to him, the grandfather of Aegestus quarreled with Laomedon
Laomedon
In Greek mythology, Laomedon was a Trojan king, son of Ilus, brother of Ganymede and Assaracus, and father of Priam, Astyoche, Lampus, Hicetaon, Clytius, Cilla, Proclia, Aethilla, Medesicaste, Clytodora, and Hesione...
, who slew him and gave his daughters to some merchants to convey them to a distant land. A noble Trojan however embarked with them, and married one of them in Sicily, where she subsequently gave birth to a son, Aegestus. During the war against Troy Aegestus obtained permission from Priam
Priam
Priam was the king of Troy during the Trojan War and youngest son of Laomedon. Modern scholars derive his name from the Luwian compound Priimuua, which means "exceptionally courageous".- Marriage and issue :...
to return and take part in the contest, and afterwards returned to Sicily, where Aeneas
Aeneas
Aeneas , in Greco-Roman mythology, was a Trojan hero, the son of the prince Anchises and the goddess Aphrodite. His father was the second cousin of King Priam of Troy, making Aeneas Priam's second cousin, once removed. The journey of Aeneas from Troy , which led to the founding a hamlet south of...
on his arrival was hospitably received by him and Elymus
Elymus
In Greek and Roman mythology, Elymus was the mythical ancestor of the Elymians, natives of Sicily. Elymus was a Trojan, a natural son of Anchises and a brother of Eryx....
, and built for them the towns of Aegesta
Segesta
Segesta was the political center of the Elymian people, located in the northwestern part of Sicily, in what are now the province of Trapani and the comune of Calatafimi-Segesta....
and Elyme. The account of Dionysius seems to be nothing but a rationalistic interpretation of the genuine legend.
Arrow of Acestes
In the AeneidAeneid
The Aeneid is a Latin epic poem, written by Virgil between 29 and 19 BC, that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Trojan who travelled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of the Romans. It is composed of roughly 10,000 lines in dactylic hexameter...
, Acestes participates in a trial of skill in which he shoots his arrow
Arrow
An arrow is a shafted projectile that is shot with a bow. It predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.An arrow usually consists of a shaft with an arrowhead attached to the front end, with fletchings and a nock at the other.- History:...
which then bursts into flame as a sign from Jupiter of Acestes' deserved honor.