In Greek mythology, Learchus (Ancient Greek: Λέαρχος) or Learches was the son of King Athamas and Ino, daughter of King Cadmus of Thebes. He was the brother of Melicertes.[Grimal, s.v. Learchus, p. 254.]
Mythology
The story of Learchus is part of the
Theban Cycle which was elaborated by
Ovid in his
Metamorphoses. He was killed as a boy by his father, Athamas, whom Hera drove insane as punishment for having received and raised
Dionysus, the illegitimate son of
Zeus and
Semele, Ino's sister.
Athamas, blinded by the madness, exchanged Learchus for a lion (or a ram/ fawn, in other versions) and killed him. After this, Athamas went in frenzied pursuit of Ino, who jumped into the sea with their other son, Melicertes. Ovid adds some details to this story, saying, for instance, that Learchus had spontaneously stretched out his arms to his father to hug him, not knowing that he was mad and would slay him.
Dante Alighieri cites this myth as an example of insanity in his Inferno (Canto XXX).
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Dante Alighieri, Divine Comedy, Inferno, Canto XXX, 7–12.
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Pierre Grimal, The Dictionary of Classical Mythology, Malden, Oxford, and Carlton, Blackwell Publishing, 1986. . Internet Archive.
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Ovid, Metamorphoses translated by Brookes More (1859-1942). Boston, Cornhill Publishing Co. 1922. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Book IV, Fable VII.
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Ovid, Metamorphoses. Hugo Magnus. Gotha (Germany). Friedr. Andr. Perthes. 1892. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
