Melanthus

In Greek mythology, Melanthus (Ancient Greek: Μέλανθος) was a king of Messenia and son of Andropompus and Henioche.[1] He was among the descendants of Neleus (the Neleidae) expelled from Messenia, by the descendants of Heracles,[2] as part of the legendary "Return of the Heracleidae", later associated with the supposed "Dorian invasion".

He fled to Athens, along with other of the expelled Neleidae, Alcmaeon and the sons of Paeon. Melanthus later became a king of Athens, the successor of Thymoetes, succeeded by Codrus. Codrus was considered to be a forefether to the Greek philosopher Plato. According to Diogenes Laertius who cited Thrasylus as his source, Codrus and Melanthus also trace their descent from Poseidon.[3]

Melanthus was also a shipmate of Acoetes who attempted to kidnap Dionysus.
References

Notes

Scholia on Plato, Symposium, 208d, citing Hellanicus
Pausanias, 2.18.7–9.

Diogenes Laertius Plato 1

Further reading

Pausanias, Description of Greece. W. H. S. Jones (translator). Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. (1918). Vol. 1. Books I–II: ISBN 0-674-99104-4.

External links

Reference in Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology
Reference on Greek Mythology Link

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Preceded by Thymoetes	King of Athens	Succeeded by Codrus

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