Evander
(Εὔανδρος, “the good man”). A figure in Latin mythology. He was said to be the son of Hermes and an Arcadian nymph (Pausan. viii. 43. 2; Quaest. Rom. 53). Sixty years before the Trojan War he led a Pelasgian colony to Latium from Pallantium in Arcadia, and founded a city, Pallantium, near the Tiber, on the hill which was afterwards named after it the Palatine. Further it was said that he taught the rude inhabitants of the country writing, music, and other arts; and introduced from Arcadia the worship of certain gods, in particular of Pan, whom the Italians called Faunus, with the festival of the Lupercalia (q.v.), which was held in his honour. Evander was worshipped at Rome among the heroes of the country (see Indigetes), and had an altar on the Aventine Hill. But the whole story is evidently an invention of Greek scholars, who derived the Lupercalia from the Arcadian Lycaea. The name Εὔανδρος is perhaps a translation of the Italian Faunus, while Carmenta, his mother, is an ancient Italian goddess; but on this, see Nettleship, Lectures and Essays, pp. 50 foll.
Pallas, the son of Evander, is in like manner a creation of the poets. In Vergil he marches, at the command of his father, to assist Aeneas, and falls in single combat with Turnus. (See Verg. Aen. viii. 575.) Evander had also two daughters, Romé and Dyna.
- leads Arcadian colony from Pallantium to Italy and founds Rome: Paus. 8.43.2
- his image at Pallantium: Paus. 8.44.5
- Apollod. 3.12.5