Phrixus
mythological figure · 2 works · 2 mentions · 3 anchored passages
in the texts
The Histories
Mythical figure whose flight and lineage underlie the Achaean taboo tied to the worship of Laphystian Zeus.
It is the descendants of Phrixus ' son Cytissorus who are treated in this way, because when the Achaeans by an oracle's bidding made Athamas son of Aeolus a scapegoat for their country and were about to sacrifice him, this Cytissorus came from Aea in Colchis and delivered him, thereby bringing the god's wrath on his own descendants.
When Xerxes had come to Alus in Achaea, his guides, desiring to inform him of all they knew, told him the story which is related in that country concerning the worship of Laphystian Zeus, namely how Athamas son of Aeolus plotted Phrixus ' death with Ino, and further, how the Achaeans by an oracle's bidding compel Phrixus descendants to certain tasks.
Pythian
A mythic figure who once fled to Colchis on the ram with the golden fleece, whose spirit Pelias claims must be appeased.
For Phrixus asks us to bring his soul home, going to the halls of Aeetes, and to recover the deep-fleeced hide of the ram, on which he was once saved from the sea and from the impious weapons of his stepmother.