SOKOS
Greek Name
Σοκος
Transliteration
Sôkos
Latin Spelling
Socus
Translation
Stout, Strong (sôkos)
SOKOS (Socus) was a rustic demi-god or spirit (daimon) of the island of Euboia (Euboea). He was the father of Melisseus, the "Honey-Man", and the Euboian Korybantes (Corybantes) but in a mad rage drove them from the island.
PARENTS
Nowhere stated
OFFSPRING
KORYBANTES (by Kombe) (Dionysiaca 13.135)
CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES
Nonnus, Dionysiaca 13. 135 ff (trans. Rouse) (Greek epic C5th A.D.) :
"[The goddess Rheia summons the rustic divinities to the army of Dionysos for a campaign against the
Indians :] The Euboian battalions were ruled by shield-bearing Korybantes (Corybantes), guardians of Dionysos in
his growing days . . . All these came then from the famous island [Euboia]: Prymneus, and Mimas Waddlefoot, and
Akmon (Acmon) the forester, Damneus and Okythoos (Ocythous) the shielfman; and with them came flash-helm
Melisseus as comrade to Idaios, whom their father Sokos (Socus) under the insane goad of impiety had once cast
out of the brinegirt country along with Kombe (Combe) the mother of seven [Korybantes]. They escaped [from
Euboia] and passed to Knossian (Cnossian) soil, and again went on their travels from Krete (Crete) to Phrygia,
and from Phrygia to Athens; where they remained as foreign settlers and hearthguests until Kekrops (Cecrops)
destroyed Sokos with avenging blade of justice; then leaving the land of brineflooded Marathon turned their
steps homewards to the sacred soil of the Abantes, the earthborn stock of the ancient Kouretes (Curetes), whose
life is the tune of pipes, whose life is goodly noise of beaten swords, whose heart is set upon rhythmic
circling of the feet and the shield-wise dancing."
COMMENTARY
The name Sokos was probably derived from the Greek word sokos "the stout" or "the
strong"--a common Homeric epithet of the god Hermes--or else from the
word soukinos "made of amber." The latter is a fitting name for the father of Melisseus, the
demi-god of amber-coloured honey and bees.
Sokos appears to belong to the elder Titan generation of gods and is perhaps connected with : Hesiod's Hekateros (Hecaterus), father of the Daktyloi (Dactyls); the Euboian god Karystos (Carystos), father of the honey-man Aristaios; and the Titan Krios (Crius) father of the rustic Astraios.
SOURCES
GREEK
- Nonnus, Dionysiaca - Greek Epic C5th A.D.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page.