Greek Mythology >> Greek Gods >> Rustic Gods >> Curetes >> Hoplodamus (Hoplodamos)

HOPLODAMOS

Greek Name

Ὁπλοδαμος

Transliteration

Hoplodamos

Latin Spelling

Hoplodamus

Translation

Armed-Man

HOPLODAMOS (Hoplodamus) was one of the Kouretes (Curetes) or Gigantes (Giants) who mustered his brothers in defence of the goddess Rhea when Kronos (Cronus) raged against her after learning that she had spirited away their infant son Zeus. His name means "Armed Man" from the Greek words hoples and damos.

Hoplodamos and his Gigante "Earth-Born" brothers were Kouretes--armed guardians of the infant Zeus. Hesiod and several other ancient authors name the Kouretes Gigantes.

PARENTS

GAIA (Pausanias 8.32.5)

ENCYCLOPEDIA

HOPLADAMOS (Hopladamos), one of the Gigantes who accompanied and protected Rhea when she was on the point of giving birth to Zeus. (Paus. viii. 32. § 4, 36. § 2.)

Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.

CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

Pausanias, Description of Greece 8. 32. 5 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) :
"Here also [in the sanctuary of Asklepios (Asclepius) at Megalopolis in Arkadia (Arcadia)] are kept bones, too big for those of a human being, about which the story ran that they were those of one of the Gigantes (Earth-Born) mustered by Hopladamos (Hopladamus) to fight for Rhea." [N.B. The Gigantes mentioned here would be the Kouretes (Curetes).]

Pausanias, Description of Greece 8. 36. 2 :
"Mount Thaumasios (Wonderful) lies beyond the river Maloitas [in Arkadia], and the Methydrians hold that when Rhea was pregnant with Zeus, she came to this mountain and enlisted as her allies, in case Kronos (Cronus) should attack her, Hopladamos and his few Gigantes (Earth-Born). They allow that she gave birth to her son on some part of Mount Lykaios (Lycaeus), but they claim that here Kronos was deceived, and here took place the substitution of a stone for the child that is spoken of in the Greek legend. On the summit of the mountain is Rhea's Cave, into which no human beings may enter save only the women who are sacred to the goddess."