Crotopus

Crotopus or Krotopos (Ancient Greek: Κρότωπος), in Greek mythology, was the eighth king of Argos.^[1]

Family

Crotopus was the son of Agenor and father of Psamathe and Sthenelas.^[2]

Mythology

Further information: Psamathe (Crotopus)

According to myth, Crotopus condemned to death his own daughter Psamathe, after she gave birth to a child who was Apollo 's son. Crotopus's city of Argos was consequently punished by Apollo with a plague. There are various versions, but it is in Conon's account that the king must expiate this himself by self-exile:

Crotopus was a terrifying father to Psamathe, and she exposed the child, but the child was found and grew up as a shepherd's boy named Linus, until Crotopus's sheepdogs tore the boy apart. As Psamathe grieved over the loss of her child, Crotopus discovered about the secret child, and under the assumption she had acted like a harlot and was lying about Apollo, sentenced her to death. In retribution Apollo brought an unspecified plague (Greek: λοιμός loimos) upon Argos.^[4]

Festival for Linos

Further information: Linus of Argos

An oracle prescribed the veneration of the mother and child, and the Argives held a Festival of Argis (Lamb festival) during the month of Arneios, involving women and girls singing the dirge to Linus (Linos) and the ritualized killing of dogs.

Tripodiscium

Despite this, the plague persisted. The oracle was consulted once again, and this time Crotopus was to banish himself from his own city of Argos and found a city in the Megarid; Crotopus settled here, in the city which would be named Tripodiscium (Greek: Tripodiskion).^[4]

Variant tellings

Further information: Psamathe (Crotopus) § Monster

Other versions, such as given by Pausanias and Statius interpolate the labors of a hero from Argos named Coroebus. In those versions, Apollo first sends a monster (called Poena^[a] that snatches babies from the Argives. It is slain by this hero, who must then perform the penance of building the tripod city (which in Conon's version was carried out by Crotopus).^[5][6][7]

Reign

According to Eusebius, Crotopus reigned for 21 years and during his time, Phaethon's burning of Ethiopia and Deucalion's flood in Thessaly occurred. Crotopus succeeded his uncle Iasus as King of Argos upon Agenor's death while Sthenelas, his son replaced him on the throne.^[1]

Regnal titles
Preceded by Agenor	King of Argos	Succeeded by Sthenelās

CROTOPUS' CHRONOLOGY OF REIGN ACCORDING TO VARIOUS SOURCES
Kings of Argos	Regnal Years		Castor	Regnal Years		Syncellus	Regnal Years	Pausanias	Tatian
Precessor	1525	46 winters & summers	Triopas	1527	36 winters & summers	Triopas	1525	Agenor or Iasus	Triopas
Phoroneus	1502	21 years	Crotopus	1509	24 winters & summers	Crotopus	1500	Crotopus	Crotopus
Successor	1481	11 years	Sthenelus	1497	24 winters & summers	Sthenelus	1475	Sthenelas	Sthenelaus

Modern allusions

A species of butterfly, Euselasia crotopus is possibly named after him.^[8]

Explanatory notes

1. Or Poinē, given by Pausanias. Left unnamed by Statius (Pache (2004), p. 70).