Hyperion (mythology)
Hyperion took his own sister Theia as his wife. Their children were Helios, Selene, and Eos. Hyperion was one of the Titans. Yet the name was not exclusive to him. A prince of Troy also bore it, and ancient tradition used Hyperion as a secondary name for Helios, the sun god. What drew such different figures under a single word is a question the ancient texts do not directly answer. Still, the meaning of the name itself offers a place to begin.
'The high one' is the meaning of the ancient Greek word Ὑπερίων. The Trojan prince who bore this name left almost nothing behind in the ancient record. His mother was never identified, noted in the sources only as an unknown woman.
Apollodorus preserved accounts involving Hyperion in The Library. Sir James George Frazer translated that work into English, and his edition appeared in 1921 in two volumes. Harvard University Press in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and William Heinemann Limited in London published it jointly. Hugh G. Evelyn-White translated Hesiod's Theogony into English in 1914. Both texts, along with their Greek originals, are accessible through the Perseus Digital Library.
Common questions
Who was Hyperion in Greek mythology?
Hyperion was one of the Titans in Greek mythology, the father of Helios, Selene, and Eos by his sister-wife Theia. The name Hyperion also belongs to a son of King Priam of Troy and served as a secondary name for the sun god Helios.
Who were Hyperion's children in Greek mythology?
Hyperion's children were Helios, Selene, and Eos, born of his union with his sister Theia.
What does the name Hyperion mean in ancient Greek?
Hyperion translates from ancient Greek as 'the high one,' written in Greek letters as Ὑπερίων.
Who was Hyperion's wife in Greek mythology?
Hyperion's wife was Theia, who was also his sister. The ancient sources describe her as his sister-wife.
Was there a Trojan prince named Hyperion?
Yes, a prince of Troy named Hyperion was one of the sons of King Priam. His mother was never identified in the ancient sources, recorded only as an unknown woman.
Why is Hyperion used as a name for the sun in Greek mythology?
Hyperion served as a byname for Helios, the sun god, meaning it functioned as a secondary name that could stand in for Helios directly.
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