Salmoneus
heroKing of Elis who imitated Zeus by dragging bronze kettles behind his chariot and throwing torches as fake lightning.
The Myth
He rode through his city hurling torches and dragging chains to imitate thunder — Zeus killed him with real lightning for the comparison. Salmoneus built a bronze road and drove his chariot across it while throwing flaming brands at his subjects, demanding they worship him as Zeus. The real Zeus obliterated him, his city, and everyone in it with a single thunderbolt. Virgil places him in Tartarus alongside Tityos and Tantalus. His daughter Tyro survived because she had already left. Tyro would later bear Pelias and Neleus to Poseidon, making Salmoneus the grandfather of two royal lines despite his spectacular hubris. No mortal in myth imitates a god more literally — or dies faster for it.
Parents
Children
Symbols
Fun Fact
Salmoneus is the only mortal in myth who literally tried to impersonate Zeus with special effects.
Explore Further
Tyro
heroBeautiful princess who fell in love with the river god Enipeus, only to be seduced by Poseidon...
Neleus
heroSon of Poseidon and Tyro, founder of Pylos, father of Nestor, killed by Heracles for refusing...
Pelias
heroUsurper king of Iolcus who sent Jason on the quest for the Golden Fleece hoping he would die, and...
Tantalus
heroA king who offended the gods by serving them his own son as a meal. His punishment in Tartarus —...
Tantalus (Punishment)
heroKing invited to dine with the gods who stole nectar and ambrosia and served his son Pelops as a...
Tityos
heroTityos was a giant whose attempt to assault Leto earned him one of the underworld's most graphic...
Tityos (Punishment)
heroGiant who attempted to rape Leto and was condemned to have two vultures eat his regenerating liver...
Aeolus
godAeolus kept winds in a leather bag on his floating island.
Aeolus (Wind King)
godKeeper of the winds, appointed by Zeus to control the Anemoi from his floating island of Aeolia.
Poseidon
godLord of the seas and brother of Zeus. Poseidon's moods shaped the oceans — calm seas for those who...
Poseidon (Earth-Shaker)
godPoseidon was the god of the sea and earthquakes whose moods determined whether sailors lived or...
Poseidon Hippios
godAn epithet of Poseidon as lord of horses, reflecting his role as creator of the first horse and...