Polyidus
Argive seer who found and resurrected the drowned prince Glaucus of Crete using a herb he observed a serpent use.
The Legend of Polyidus
Polyidus was an Argive seer, a descendant of the great prophet Melampus. King Minos of Crete summoned him when his young son Glaucus went missing and an oracle declared that whoever could interpret a certain omen — a calf that changed color three times daily, like a mulberry ripening — would find the boy. Polyidus likened it to a mulberry and so won the competition. He found Glaucus drowned in a jar of honey. Minos locked him in the tomb with the boy and demanded he restore the child to life. While imprisoned, Polyidus observed a serpent enter the tomb and killed it. A second serpent came, touched a herb to the dead snake's body, and revived it. Polyidus used the same herb on Glaucus and restored him to life. Minos was still not satisfied: he demanded Polyidus teach Glaucus the prophetic art before he could leave. Polyidus complied, then on departing told Glaucus to spit in his mouth — causing the boy to forget everything he had been taught.
Parents
Coeranus (father, in some traditions)
Children
Euchenor, Astycrateia, Manto
Symbols
Fun Fact
Polyidus is one of very few mortals in Greek myth who independently discovers a resurrection technique by observation — he learned to raise the dead not from a god but by watching a snake.
Explore Further
Glaucus
🗡 heroNone recorded
A young prince of Crete who drowned in a jar of honey and was restored to life by the seer Polyidus using a magical herb revealed by a serpent
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.
Mopsus the Lapith
🗡 heroProphecy, Argonauts, Serpent Death
Lapith seer who sailed with the Argonauts and died of a serpent bite in Libya on the return journey.
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
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.
Mopsus
🗡 heroProphecy, bird augury
Celebrated seer and Argonaut who could read the future in the flight of birds
Perseus
🗡 heroHero who slew Medusa
The son of Zeus and Danae who beheaded Medusa, rescued Andromeda, and founded the Perseid dynasty of Mycenae.
Aepytus
🗡 heroKingship, Arcadia
Arcadian king who was killed by a serpent while attempting to enter the forbidden sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi
Calchas
🗡 heroprophecy
Chief seer of the Greek army at Troy who interpreted omens, demanded Iphigenia's sacrifice, and foretold the war's length.
Amphiaraus
🗡 heroSeer-warrior swallowed by earth
Amphiaraus was a warrior-prophet who foresaw his death in the Seven Against Thebes but marched anyway, bound by his wife's betrayal.
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.
Bellerophon
🗡 heroThe hero who tamed Pegasus
The Corinthian hero who tamed the winged horse Pegasus and slew the Chimera, but fell from heaven when he tried to reach Olympus.