Mopsus
Son of Manto and grandson of Tiresias who defeated the great seer Calchas in a divination contest, causing Calchas to die.
The Legend of Mopsus
He killed the Greek army's chief prophet without touching him — by simply being better at prophecy. After the Trojan War, Calchas and Mopsus met at Colophon. Calchas asked how many figs a certain tree bore. Mopsus answered exactly: ten thousand and one. He was right. Then Mopsus asked Calchas how many piglets a pregnant sow carried. Calchas guessed wrong. Mopsus named the exact number and the time of birth. Calchas, bound by a prophecy that he would die when he met a superior seer, collapsed and died. Mopsus inherited the oracle at Claros. His accuracy descended from Tiresias through his mother Manto — three generations of divination supremacy.
Parents
Apollo (or Rhacius), Manto
Symbols
Explore Further
Calchas
🗡 heroprophecy
Chief seer of the Greek army at Troy who interpreted omens, demanded Iphigenia's sacrifice, and foretold the war's length.
Manto
🗡 heroprophecy
Daughter of Tiresias and prophetess in her own right who was sent to Delphi as a war prize after Thebes fell.
Tiresias
🗡 heroBlind prophet of Thebes
The most famous seer in Greek mythology, blinded by the gods but given the gift of prophecy in compensation. Tiresias advised kings and heroes across multiple generations.
Oedipus
🗡 heroKing who fulfilled the prophecy of killing his father and marrying his mother
The tragic king of Thebes who unknowingly killed his father and married his mother, fulfilling a prophecy he had spent his life trying to avoid.
Melampus
🗡 heroNone recorded
The first mortal prophet in Greek tradition who gained the ability to understand the speech of animals after serpents licked his ears clean
Amphiaraus
🗡 heroThe prophet who foresaw his own death at Thebes
A warrior-prophet who knew the Seven Against Thebes would fail but marched to his death anyway, swallowed by the earth.
Teiresias
🗡 heroprophecy
Blind Theban prophet who lived seven generations and was the only mortal to experience life as both man and woman.
Teiresias
🗡 heroBlind prophet of Thebes
Tiresias was the blind seer of Thebes who experienced life as both man and woman, was blinded by the gods, and compensated with the gift of prophecy.
Laius
🗡 heroNone recorded
King of Thebes whose attempt to cheat fate led directly to the Oedipus tragedy
Amythaon
🗡 heroProphecy, lineage
Thessalian prince and father of the great seer Melampus, founder of a celebrated prophetic dynasty
Halitherses
🗡 heroNone recorded
Elderly Ithacan prophet who interpreted bird omens and supported Telemachus
Helenos
🗡 heroProphecy, combat
Alternative transliteration of Helenus, Trojan prince and seer who foretold the fall of Troy