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Rarus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In Greek mythology, Rarus (Ancient Greek: Ρ̓ᾶρος, Ráros) or Rar (Ρ̓ᾶρ, Rár)[1] was a son of Cranaus,[2] eponym of the Rarian Field near Eleusis, and a possible father of Triptolemus by an unnamed daughter of Amphictyon.[3][4][5] According to Suda, Rarus was the father of Celeus and through him grandfather of Triptolemus. He received Demeter hospitably as she was searching for her daughter Persephone, and the goddess, in reward, taught his grandson the art of cultivating crops.[6] According to Robert Graves, Rarus name whether it means ‘an abortive child’, or ‘a womb’, is an inappropriate name for a king, and will have referred to the womb of the Corn-mother from which the corn sprang.[7]

Notes

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  1. ^ It was specifically stressed by ancient grammarians, e. g. Herodianus 1. 546-547; 2. 940; scholia on Iliad, 1. 56, that the initial Ρ̓ of his name has a spiritus lenis on it, unlike all other Greek words beginning with ρ. Thus, the correct Latin transliteration is Rarus, not Rharus.
  2. ^ Hesychius of Alexandria, s.v. Kranaou hyios
  3. ^ Pausanias, 1.14.3
  4. ^ Hesychius of Alexandria, s.v. Raros, also noting that the adjective ῤᾶρος meant "strong"
  5. ^ Photius, Lexicon s.v. Rar
  6. ^ Suida, s.v. Rarias
  7. ^ Graves, Robert (2017). The Greek Myths - The Complete and Definitive Edition. Penguin Books Limited. p. 94. ISBN 9780241983386.

References

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