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Argus 1 has been called "The All-seeing",
because he had eyes in his whole body, or perhaps
only one hundred eyes in his head that slept two at
a time in turn while the rest remained on guard.
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Some deeds of Argus 1
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Argus 1 was known for having killed a remarkable
bull which ravaged
Arcadia, and for having
caught asleep and killed the monster Echidna, who
used to carry off passers-by. Also when a Satyr
wronged the Arcadians and robbed them of their
cattle, Argus 1 killed him.
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Zeus' affair with Io
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Argus 1's last labour was to be the herdsman of
Io,
who had been transformed into a cow.
When Zeus seduced Io,
who at the time held the priesthood of
Hera, he covered the land
with a dark cloud. But his wife
Hera, feeling she had been
wronged, came down from heaven. So, in order to
avoid his wife's anger, the god turned Io
into a white cow. Some say that, on the occasion,
Zeus swore that he had not
made love to the woman, and that is why it is said
that a lover's oaths do not draw down the anger of
the gods.
When the cloud dispersed,
Hera, seeing the wonderful
cow, asked Zeus about her
origin, and he, still fearing her wife, declared
that the cow had sprung from the earth.
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Hera's assignment kills
him
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But the goddess in admiration asked for the cow
as a gift, and although
Zeus, unable to refuse,
gave it to her, Hera did
not put off all suspicion and, fearing
Zeus' treachery, she set
Argus 1 to guard the cow with his many eyes.
Thus began Io's
excruciating life as cow and prisoner, which
continued for a while until
Zeus, unable to bear Io's
sufferings ordered Hermes
to steal the cow from Argus 1.
As Hermes could not
steal the cow secretly because Hierax 1 (who is
known for this) had babbled, he killed Argus 1 by
the cast of a stone, and for this deed
Hermes was surnamed
Argiphontes.
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The eyes of Argus 1 are in the feathers of the
peacock
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But others have said that
Hermes came disguised as
a shepherd and that, sitting beside Argus 1, told
him so many tales that all of Argus 1's eyes fell
asleep. Then Hermes
beheaded him with a hooked sword. But
Hera, they say, took the
eyes of Argus 1 and set them on the feathers of the
peacock, which is her favourite bird.
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Hera puts the eyes
of Argus 1 in the feathers of the
peacock
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Namesakes
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- Argus 2, Argus 3 and Argus 4 were
ARGONAUTS.
- Argus 5, son of
Zeus, was a king in
Peloponnessus.
- Argus 6 was
Odysseus' dog.
- Argus 7 is one of the PANS.
- Argus 8 was a warrior in the army of
Adrastus 1.
- Argus 9 was one of the defenders of
Thebes agains the
SEVEN.
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Parentage [five versions]
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Mate
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Offspring
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Notes
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Agenor 4 & unknown
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Arestor 1 & Mycene
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Inachus & unknown
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Gaia.-
(by herself)
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Argus 5 & Ismene 1
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Agenor 4 is son of Ecbasus, son of
Argus 5, son of
Zeus.
Arestor 1 is otherwise unknown. Mycene
is daughter of the river god Inachus. She
was an Achaean beauty of former times,
after whom the city
Mycenae
received its name.
Inachus consorted with Melia or with
Argia 3. Both of them are
OCEANIDS.
Argus 5 was king in the Peloponnesus,
which he called
Argos after
himself.
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Ismene 1
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Iasus 3
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Ismene 1 is a daughter of the river god Asopus.
Iasus 3 (king of Argos) is
sometimes called father of
Io. But then some call him
son of Triopas 1 (also king of
Argos), or son of Phorbas
1, son either of Argus 5, or of Peranthus 2.
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