Idas
heroStrongest of the Argonauts, who kidnapped his bride from Apollo and later died fighting the Dioscuri.
The Myth
He threatened Apollo with a drawn bow — and won. When Apollo tried to steal his bride Marpessa, Idas drew his bow against the god. Zeus himself had to intervene, and he let Marpessa choose. She chose Idas over Apollo, reasoning that a mortal husband would age with her while a god would abandon her when her beauty faded. On the Argo, Idas was the strongest crew member after Heracles. He and his brother Lynceus later quarreled with Castor and Polydeuces over cattle. Idas killed Castor with a spear, and Zeus killed Idas with a thunderbolt — the mortal who had once defied Apollo finally met a god he could not outface.
Parents
Aphareus, Arene
Symbols
Fun Fact
Marpessa chose a mortal over a god — one of the very few times a woman in myth rejected an Olympian.
Explore Further
Lynceus (Argonaut)
heroThe Argonaut with superhuman eyesight who could see through the earth and beneath the sea, serving...
Lynceus the Argonaut
heroArgonaut famed for supernatural eyesight so sharp he could see through solid earth and spot objects...
Marpessa
heroMortal woman who chose the hero Idas over Apollo, fearing a god would abandon her in old age.
Heracles
heroThe greatest hero of Greek mythology, son of Zeus and the mortal Alcmene. Famous for his...
Heracles (Labours)
heroHeracles performed twelve seemingly impossible labours as penance for killing his family in a...
Dioscuri
heroThe Dioscuri were twin brothers — Castor (mortal) and Pollux (divine) — inseparable in life, who...
Apollo
godGod of light, music, poetry, and prophecy. Apollo embodied the Greek ideal of youthful masculine...
Apollo (Light)
godApollo was the most complex Olympian — god of light, music, poetry, prophecy, healing, plague, and...
Apollo Loxias
godAn epithet of Apollo meaning "the Oblique One," referring to the deliberately ambiguous nature of...
Argo (Ship)
placeThe Argo was the ship built by Argus for Jason's quest — the first long-voyage ship in Greek myth,...
Argonauts
conceptThe Argonauts were the band of heroes who sailed with Jason on the Argo to retrieve the Golden...
Hera
godQueen of the Olympian gods and goddess of marriage. Known for her jealous rages against Zeus's...