Melampus - Melampus (English spelling)

A great prophet and fortune teller in Greek mythology. He was raising a baby snake whose parents had been killed, and when the snake licked his ear while he was sleeping, he gained the ability to understand the stories of insects, birds, and animals. He was also given the art of prophecy by Apollo and studied herbal medicine. One day, at the request of his brother Bias, he went to Thessaly to steal a cow, but was captured and imprisoned in King Phylacos' prison. A year later, he overheard a conversation between woodworms that had taken up residence on the roof of the prison, and was transferred to another cell, but the ceiling of his original cell collapsed. The king was amazed by his prophetic powers and released him, asking him why his son could not have children, and he extracted a secret from a vulture and taught him a cure. He gave the cow he received as a gift to Bias as a dowry.

Later, King Proetus of Tiryns asked Melampus to treat his three daughters who were suffering from mental disorders, but he demanded one third of the kingdom as payment, which the king refused. However, the number of sick increased, so Melampus was summoned again. In addition to the first one third, he was promised one third for Bias, and he cured their illnesses (one of them died), and the brothers married the two daughters. Incidentally, the prophet Amphiaraus, one of the seven generals who attacked Thebes, was Melampus' great-great-grandson. In ancient times, an epic poem, "The Tale of Melampus," was created, but it has been lost and is unknown.

[Tetsuro Nakatsuka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ギリシア神話の大預言者、また占い師。彼は親を殺された子蛇を養っていたが、睡眠中にこの蛇に耳を舐(な)められて、虫や鳥、獣(けもの)の話を解する能力を得た。さらにアポロンからは預言術を授けられ、薬草学をも修めた。あるとき、兄弟のビアスに頼まれてテッサリアへ牛を盗みに行くが捕らえられ、フィラコス王の牢(ろう)に監禁される。一年後、牢の屋根に巣くう木食い虫の会話を聞いてほかの牢にかえてもらったとたん、彼の元の牢の天井は崩れ落ちた。その預言力に驚いた王は彼を解放し、息子に子ができないわけを尋ね、彼は禿鷹(はげたか)から秘密を聞き出してその治療法を教えてやる。その礼にもらった牛は、ビアスに婚資として与えた。

　のちにティリンス王プロイトスが、精神に異常をきたした3人の娘の治療を依頼するが、その報酬として彼は王国の3分の1を要求したため、王は拒否する。しかしさらに病者が増えたので、ふたたびメランプスが呼び出された。彼は初めの3分の1のほかに、今度はビアスのための3分の1も約束させて彼女たちの病を治してやり（1人は死亡）、彼ら兄弟は2人の娘と結婚した。なお、テバイ（テーベ）攻めの七将のなかの預言者アンフィアラオスは、メランプスの玄孫にあたる。古代には叙事詩『メランプス物語』がつくられたが、散逸してわからない。

［中務哲郎］

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