Onchestos (mythology)


In Greek mythology, Onchestos or Onchestus was the eponymous founder of the city of Onchestus in Boeotia where the Onchestian Poseidon had a temple and a statue.

Family

Little is known about Onchestos and only two literary sources '' gives information about him. In these accounts he was described as the Boeotian son of Poseidon and father of Abrota, wife of Nisos and Megareus. In some traditions, Onchestus was called the son of Boeotus.

Plutarch's account

Pausanias' account

Grove of Onchestus

In ancient times the city of Onchestus was famous for its sanctuary of Poseidon and is mentioned in the famous "Catalogue of Ships" in Homer's Iliad where it is referred to as the god's "bright grove."
In the Homeric Hymns to Apollo the grove is also mentioned: