Argus Panoptes
creatureArgus Panoptes was a giant with a hundred eyes covering his body — the all-seeing watchman whom Hera set to guard Io.
The Myth
Hera set Argus to watch Io (whom Zeus had transformed into a cow to hide their affair). With a hundred eyes, some always remained open — the perfect sentinel. Zeus sent Hermes to free Io. Hermes lulled Argus to sleep by playing the pipes and telling stories, then slew him. Hera placed his eyes on the tail of the peacock as a memorial. His epithet Panoptes means "all-seeing."
Parents
Arestor (or Gaia)
Symbols
Fun Fact
Jeremy Bentham's "panopticon" prison — where all inmates can be watched at once — takes its name from Argus Panoptes, "all-seeing."
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth:
Explore Further
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