Misenus

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - Cite This Source

In Greek mythology, Misenus was a name attributed to two individuals.

  • Misenus was a friend of Odysseus.
  • Misenus was a character in Virgil's epic poem the Aeneid. He was a companion of Hector and, after his death, Aeneas' trumpeter. He challenged the gods to a musical contest, and for his impudence was drowned by Triton. Aeneas was later told by the Sibyl of Cumae that Misenus' body had to be buried before he can enter the Underworld. The passage detailing the funereal rites gives a valuable insight into Roman burial customs, and the importance the Romans placed on respect for the dead. Cape Misenum, near Cumae, is supposedly named for Misenus. His being called Aeolides arose from the legendary connection between the Aeolian and Campanian Cumae.

Referencess



Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia © 2001-2006 Wikipedia contributors (Disclaimer)
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Last updated on Thursday February 14, 2008 at 08:35:10 PST (GMT -0800)
View this article at Wikipedia.org - Edit this article at Wikipedia.org - Donate to the Wikimedia Foundation