Parnassus (mythology)

In Greek mythology, Parnassus (/pɑːˈnasəs/; Ancient Greek: Παρνασσός, romanized: Parnassos) was the eponym of Mount Parnassus and of the Parnassian glen.

Family

Parnassos was the son of the nymph Cleodora either by her husband Cleopompus or Poseidon.

Mythology

Parnassus was credited to be said to be the founder of the oldest city in Phocis and the inventor of the art of foretelling the future from the flight of birds.

Modern interpretation

According to one source, the following relates to the historical basis of the myth surrounding Parnassus:

“In 1825 BC, Parnassus was born in the upper reaches of the Cephisus River which flows north of Mount Parnassus. His parents were Cleodora and Cleopompus, the earliest known Greeks shortly before the Great Flood of the Cephisus River in 1750 BC.”

Parnassus’ possible children were Inachus and Corycia, and he might as well be the common ancestor of both Ogygos and Telchin.

Parnassus created a settlement by gathering people who had previously lived apart into one place. Parnassus is said to have invented fortune-telling based on the flight of birds. This may have something to do with the priestess of Dodona's prophecies from observing the flight of pigeons.

The name Parnassus became the name of a mountain lying north of Delphi. The name and exact location of the town founded by Parnassus is unknown. This city was destroyed by a great flood, and the people fled to the heights of Mount Parnassus and founded a new city, Lycoreia. The old town appears to have been on the right bank of the Cephisus River, which flows north of Mount Parnassus.

Some historical sources say that this great flood occurred during the Deucalion era, but this is incorrect for the following reasons:

In 1511 BC, when Hellen's father Deucalion was living in Thessaly, there was a great earthquake that dammed the river and caused a great flood. The flood was called the Flood of the Deucalion era. However, given the topography and distance, it is inconceivable that the Great Thessaly Flood would reach the vicinity of Mount Parnassus.

In 1390 BC, during the time of Deucalion, who invaded Thessaly and drove out the Pelasgians, a great tsunami occurred. Some legends say that this was a flood during the Deucalion era.

Samothrace and Megara were also affected, but it is unlikely that the tsunami that occurred in the southern part of the Aegean Sea caused damage to the foothills of Mt. Parnassus.

The great flood that forced the inhabitants of the upper reaches of the Cephisus River to migrate to the higher elevations of Mount Parnassus predates the time of the two Deucalions. As in the case of Thessaly, it is presumed that the flood was caused by the long-term damming of the river due to the collapse of a mountain mass caused by an earthquake.”