Pelasgus
transtulit in Latium peregrina volumina pandens / thesaurosque simul librorum forte Pelasgos / edidit in lucem
raucisono medium crepitare per aethera [v. l. aethra ] suescens / Romuleis scribor biblis, sed voce Pelasga, / nomine nocturnas dum semper servo tenebras
indidit ex cornu nomen mihi lingua Pelasga
nomen imago dedit servandum voce Pelasga
infandus volucer sum, et nomen habebo Pelasgum
lingua Pelasga, Latina sibi non nescia, vati; / artibus hisce preibat, lux quasi clara diei
hic sacer in tumba pausat cum corpore presul / quem nunc Theodorum lingua Pelasga vocat
ignem ~um,fu Gregis ‥fue Gregos
~os,þa Creacisgan
non solum Itali et ~i, sed et alie gentes sanctis pignoribus habitis Deo grates concinunt
priscos mores secuti, satis incongruum esse temere censuerunt
~um,Gregés
(Πελασγός), the mythical ancestor of the Pelasgians, the earliest inhabitants of Greece who established the worship of the Dodonaean Zeus, Hephaestus, the Cabeiri, and other divinities that belong to the earliest inhabitants of the country. In the different parts of the country once occupied by Pelasgians, there existed different traditions as to the origin and connection of Pelasgus. 1. In Arcadia
According to the Arcadian tradition, he was either an Autochthon (Paus. 2.14.3, 8.1.2; Hes. apud Apollod. 2.1.1), or a son of Zeus by Niobe; and the Oceanide Meliboea, the nymph Cyllene, or Deianeira, became by him the mother of Lycaon. (Apollod. l.c.,3.8.1; Hyg. Fab. 225; Dionys. A. R. 1.11, 13.) According to others, again, Pelasgus was a son of Arestor, and grandson of Iasus, and immigrated into Arcadia, where he founded the town of Parrhasia. (Schol. ad Eurip. Orest. 1642; Steph. Byz. s. v. Περρασία.) 2. In Argos
In Argos, Pelasgus was believed to have been a son of Triopas and Sois, and a brother of Iasus, Agenor, and Xanthus, or a son of Phoroneus, and to have founded the city of Argos in Peloponnesus, to have taught the people agriculture, and to have received Demeter, on her wanderings, at Argos, where his tomb was shown in later times. (Paus. 1.14.2, 2.22.2; Schol. ad Eurip. Orest. 920; Eustath. ad Hom. p. 385; comp. Pelasga.) 3. In Thessaly
In Thessaly, Pelasgus was described as the father of Chlorus, and as the grandfather of Haemon, or as the father of Haemon, and as the grandfather of Thessalus (Steph. Byz. s. v. Αἱμονια; Schol. ad Apollon. Rhod. 3.1089; Dionys. A. R. 1.17), or again as a son of Poseidon and Larissa, and as the founder of the Thessalian Argos. Further Information
Dionys. l.c.; Eustath. ad Hom. p. 321; comp. Clinton, Fast. Hell. vol. i. p. 9, &c. [L.S]
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…decet. Med. Fortuna opes auferre, non animum potest, sed cuius ictu regius cardo strepit ipse est Pelasgo tumidus imperio Creo. Creo Medea Medea, Colchi noxium Aeetae genus, nondum meis exportat e regnis pedem molitur…
Seneca, Medea
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…, Scythia tenus ille nivosa Omne tenet, Ponti qua plaga laeva iacet. Accipis hospitio iuvenes, Aeeta, Pelasgos, Et premitis pictos, corpora Graia, toros. Tunc ego te vidi, tunc coepi scire, quid…
Ovid, Epistulae
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…atria serpens, sic alium ex alio quamquam lassata fragorem pectora congeminant, integratoque resultant accensae clamore fores ; sensere Pelasgi invidiam et lacrimis excusant crimen obortis. Ipse, datum quotiens intereisoque tumultu conticuit stupefacta domus, solatur Adrastus adloquiis…
Statius, P. Papinius, Thebais
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…Artatur denso fugientum examine vallum, quas volvis, Gradive, vices modo moenia Cadmi scandebant sua nunc defendunt tecta Pelasgi ceu redeunt nubes, ceu circumflantibus austris alternus procumbit ager, ceu gurgite cano nunc retegit bibulas, nunc induit…
Statius, P. Papinius, Thebais
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…hac ire via, ceu tecta superbi Sidonia atque ipsas calcent in sanguine Thebas. hortatur Capaneus satis occultata, Pelasgi, delituit virtus nunc, nunc mihi vincere pulchrum teste die ; mecum clamore et pulvere aperto ite palam ,…
Statius, P. Papinius, Thebais
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…tamen armaque ferri ipse iubet pallens, mediaeque in sedibus aulae Eumenidas subitas flentemque Menoecea cernit turbidus impositosque rogis gaudere Pelasgos. quis fuit ille dies tanto cum sanguine Thebis pax inventa perit patriis modo fixa revellunt arma deis, clipeisque…
Statius, P. Papinius, Thebais
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…tamen experiar. modo facta crepuscula terris ; Ultima pars lucis primaque noctis erat. Ducimur Inachides magni sub tecta Pelasgi, Et socer armatas accipit ipse nurus. Undique conlucent praecinctae lampades auro ; Dantur in invitos inpia tura focos…
Ovid, Epistulae
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…, Creo atque Acastus arma si iungant sua Med. His adice Colchos, adice et Aeeten ducem, Scythas Pelasgis iunge demersos dabo. Ias. Alta extimesco sceptra, Med. Ne cupias vide. Ias. Suspecta ne…
Seneca, Medea
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…viresque pectoris impulsu rabidi stravere leones, protinus ira minor, gaudentque in corpore capto securam differre famem sic flexa Pelasgum corda labant, ferrique avidus mansueverat ardor. Ipse etiam ante oculos nunc matris ad oscula versus, nunc rudis…
Statius, P. Papinius, Thebais
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…ad proceres exspectatoque resolvit ora sono ; neque abest facundis gratia dictis. Si mea cum vestris valuissent vota, Pelasgi, non foret ambiguus tanti certaminis heres, tuque tuis armis, nos te poteremur, Achille. Quem quoniam…
Ovid, Metamorphoses
(Πέλασγος). The mythical ancestor of the Pelasgi, by some regarded as sprung from the earth, but by others described as the son of Zeus (Pausan. ii. 14, 3; Apollod.ii.1.1); or of Phoroneus (Pausan. i. 14, 2), or of Poseidon and Larissa (Dionys.i. 17). See Pelasgi.
- Paus. 2.14.4
- first man to live in Arcadia: Paus. 8.1.4
- his inventions: Paus. 8.1.5ff.
- Apollod. E.3.34
- Paus. 2.22.1
- father of Larisa: Paus. 2.24.1
- receives Demeter at Argos: Paus. 1.14.2
- his grave at Argos: Paus. 2.22.1
- or, according to Hesiod, a son of the soil: Apollod. 1.9.28, Apollod. 2.1.1, Apollod. 3.7.7
- father of Lycaon: Apollod. 3.7.7