Cinyras
Cyprian king, inventor, and father of Adonis.
Cinyras was a famous hero and king of Cyprus in Greek mythology, closely associated with the cult of Aphrodite on the island. He is often linked to Adonis, a consort of Aphrodite, as his son. Some scholars have proposed a connection with the minor Ugaritic deity Kinnaru, the god of the lyre.
Quick Facts
- Also known as
- Cinyra
- Associated with
- Cyprus
- Byblos
- Paphos
- Notable for
- inventing tiles
- copper-mines
- tongs
- hammer
- lever
- anvil; creator of art and musical instruments
- Father of
- Adonis
- Oxyporos
- Braesia
- Laogora
- Orsedice
- Laodice
- Myrrha
- Myrice
- Amaracus
- Cyprus
- Koureus
- Marieus
- Mother
- Amathousa or Pharnace
- Spouse
- Metharme or Galatea
Facts from the source article.
Biography
Cinyras is mentioned by Pindar as beloved of Apollo and priest of Aphrodite, and as fabulously rich. On Cyprus he was revered as the creator of art and musical instruments, including the flute. His name is thought to derive from the Phoenician word kinnor, an eastern string instrument. He posed a musical challenge to Apollo, and the god Mars took his life. If he is the Cinyra mentioned by Pliny, son of Agriopas, he invented tiles, discovered copper-mines, and invented tongs, the hammer, the lever, and the anvil.
Family
According to the Bibliotheca, Cinyras was a descendant of Eos and Cephalus, his parents being Sandocus and Pharnace. Sandocus was an immigrant from Syria who settled in Cilicia. Cinyras founded Paphos on Cyprus and married Metharme, daughter of King Pygmalion. His children included Adonis and Oxyporos, and daughters Braesia, Laogora, and Orsedice, who cohabited with foreigners and ended their life in Egypt. Another daughter, Laodice, married Elatus. Pausanias mentions a daughter of Cinyras as consort of Teucer. Stephanus of Byzantium names Cinyras' mother as Amathousa and lists children Cyprus, Koureus, and Marieus. Hesychius calls Cinyras a son of Apollo, while Hyginus calls him son of Paphos. In other sources he is husband of Galatea and father of Myrrha and Myrice. Another son, Amaracus, served as royal perfumer.
Mythology
In Homer, Cinyras gave a corselet to Agamemnon as a guest-gift. Eustathius relates that Cinyras promised fifty ships but sent only one real ship and forty-nine sculpted from earth with earth crew figures; he was cursed by Agamemnon and punished by Apollo, who beat him in a musical contest and killed him. His fifty daughters then threw themselves into the sea and were changed into alcyones. According to Ovid, Cinyras' daughter Myrrha, impelled by unnatural lust for him, slept with him and was changed into a myrrh tree, from which Adonis was born; Cinyras committed suicide. Clement of Alexandria states that Cinyras brought the lewd orgies of Aphrodite to light.
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