Graecus

Graecus or Græcus (Ancient Greek: Polytonic|Γραικός) was, according to Hesiod's "Eoiae" (Greek: Ηοίαι) or "Catalogue of Women" [Hesiod. "Eoiae" (Greek: Ηοίαι) or "Catalogue of Women", c. 650 BC.] on the origin of the Greeks, the son of Pandora and Zeus. His mother Pandora II (named after her grandmother Pandora) was the daughter of Deucalion and Pyrrha and sister of Hellen who together with his three sons Dorus, Xuthus (with his sons Ion and Achaeus) and Aeolos, comprised the set of ancient tribes that formed the Greek/Hellenic nation.

Later traditions

According to Stephanus of Byzantium, Graecus was a son of Thessalus. According to Virgil, Latinus is Graecus's brother. The Hellenic tribe Graecians according to legend took their name after Graecus. They were one of the first Greek tribes to colonize Italy. The area that came to be known as Magna Graecia took its name after them. The Latins used this term in reference to all Hellenic people because the first Hellenes they came into contact with were the Graecians, hence the name Greeks.

References

ee also

*Names of the Greeks

External links

* [http://homepage.mac.com/cparada/GML/Zeus.html Greek Mythology Link (Carlos Parada) - Zeus]
* [http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/1407.html The Ancient Library - Graecus]