In Greek mythology, the name Echion (Ancient Greek: Ἐχῑ́ων ( gen.: Ἐχίονος), derivative of ἔχις echis "viper"[Robert Graves. The Greek Myths (1960)]) referred to five different beings:
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Echion, one of the Gigantes, known for great strength (though not necessarily great size) and having an ability to change the course or direction of winds.
[Claudian, Gigantomachy 104 (pp. 288-289)][Bane, Theresa, Encyclopedia of Giants and Humanoids in Myth, Legend and Folklore 63.][Aken, Dr. A.R.A. van. (1961). Elseviers Mythologische Encyclopedie. Amsterdam: Elsevier.][Bartelink, Dr. G.J.M. (1988). Prisma van de mythologie. Utrecht: Het Spectrum.]
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Echion, one of the surviving Spartoi, the "sown men" that sprang up from the dragon's teeth sown by Cadmus, the other four Spartoi were Chthonius, Hyperenor, Pelorus, and Udaeus.
[Scholia ad Euripides, Phoenissae 670, ad Apollonius Rhodius, 3.1179-1187; Apollodorus, 3.4.1; Hyginus, Fabulae 178; Pseudo-Scymnus, Circuit de la terre 587 ff.; John Tzetzes, Chiliades 10.438-439] Echion was principally known for his skill in battle and bravery;[Ovid, Metamorphoses 3.126] "it was Echion who, for his great valor, was preferred by Cadmus to be his son-in-law":[Pausanias, 9.5.3] Echion was father of Pentheus[Apollodorus, 3.5.2; Pausanias, 9.5.4; Pseudo-Oppian, Cygenetica 4.243] and Epeiros[Parthenius, 32] by Agave.[Apollodorus, 3.5.2] He was credited to be the founder of the Malian Gulf city of Echinos.[Pseudo-Scymnos, Circuit de la terre 587 ff.; Stephanus of Byzantium, s.v. Echinos] Also, Echion was said to have dedicated a temple of Cybele in Boeotia, and to have assisted Cadmus in the building of Thebes.[Ovid, Metamorphoses 10.686]
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Echion of Alope, son of Hermes
[Apollonius Rhodius, 1.51-52; Pindar, Pythian Odes 4.179] and Antianeira (daughter of Menetus)[Apollonius Rhodius, 1.56; Hyginus, Fabulae 14 & 160] or Laothoe, and brother of Eurytus.[Apollonius Rhodius, 1.51-52] Together with the latter and stepbrother, Aethalides, they participated in the quest of the Argonauts.[Pindar, Pythian Odes 4.179; Apollonius Rhodius, 1.52-54; Hyginus, Fabulae 14] Echion and his brother were described as “well skilled in craftiness”[Apollonius Rhodius, 1.52] which signified the ability they possess as children of the thief-god. Also, he participated in the Calydonian boar hunt, according to Hyginus[ Fabulae 173] and Ovid.[ Metamorphoses 8.311]
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Echion, son of Portheus and one of the Greeks who fought at the Trojan War. He was also one of the men hidden in the Trojan horse and was killed. The doomed Greek is a "tough but battle weary warrior, plagued by phantasms of his death".
[Apollodorus, E.5.20 ff.][Peter Carey: A Literary Companion 73]
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Echion, one of the suitors who came with 53 others from Dulichium to compete for Penelope.
[Apollodorus, E.7.26–27] He, with the other suitors, was shot dead by Odysseus with the help of Eumaeus, Philoetius, and Telemachus.[Apollodorus, E.7.33]
Notes
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Apollodorus, The Library with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. ISBN 0-674-99135-4. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website.
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Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica translated by Robert Cooper Seaton (1853-1915), R. C. Loeb Classical Library Volume 001. London, William Heinemann Ltd, 1912. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
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Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica. George W. Mooney. London. Longmans, Green. 1912. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
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Claudian, Battle of the Giants from Carmina Minora translated by Platnauer, Maurice. Loeb Classical Library Volumes 135 & 136. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press. 1922. Online version at Bill Thayer's Web Site
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Gaius Julius Hyginus, Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
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Robert Graves, The Greek Myths, Harmondsworth, London, England, Penguin Books, 1960.
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Pausanias, Description of Greece with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A., in 4 Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918. . Online version at the Perseus Digital Library
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Pausanias, Graeciae Descriptio. 3 vols. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
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Ovid, Metamorphoses translated by Brookes More (1859-1942). Boston, Cornhill Publishing Co. 1922. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
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Publius Ovidius Naso, Metamorphoses. Hugo Magnus. Gotha (Germany). Friedr. Andr. Perthes. 1892. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
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Stephanus of Byzantium, Stephani Byzantii Ethnicorum quae supersunt, edited by August Meineike (1790-1870), published 1849. A few entries from this important ancient handbook of place names have been translated by Brady Kiesling. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
