Greek Mythology >> Greek Gods >> Rustic Gods >> Socus (Sokos)

SOKOS

Greek Name

Σοκος

Transliteration

Sôkos

Latin Spelling

Socus

Translation

Stout, Strong (sôkos)

SOKOS (Socus) was a rustic demi-god or spirit (daimon) of the island of Euboia (Euboea). He was the father of Melisseus, the "Honey-Man", and the Euboian Korybantes (Corybantes) but in a mad rage drove them from the island.

PARENTS

Nowhere stated

OFFSPRING

KORYBANTES (by Kombe) (Dionysiaca 13.135)

CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

Nonnus, Dionysiaca 13. 135 ff (trans. Rouse) (Greek epic C5th A.D.) :
"[The goddess Rheia summons the rustic divinities to the army of Dionysos for a campaign against the Indians :] The Euboian battalions were ruled by shield-bearing Korybantes (Corybantes), guardians of Dionysos in his growing days . . . All these came then from the famous island [Euboia]: Prymneus, and Mimas Waddlefoot, and Akmon (Acmon) the forester, Damneus and Okythoos (Ocythous) the shielfman; and with them came flash-helm Melisseus as comrade to Idaios, whom their father Sokos (Socus) under the insane goad of impiety had once cast out of the brinegirt country along with Kombe (Combe) the mother of seven [Korybantes]. They escaped [from Euboia] and passed to Knossian (Cnossian) soil, and again went on their travels from Krete (Crete) to Phrygia, and from Phrygia to Athens; where they remained as foreign settlers and hearthguests until Kekrops (Cecrops) destroyed Sokos with avenging blade of justice; then leaving the land of brineflooded Marathon turned their steps homewards to the sacred soil of the Abantes, the earthborn stock of the ancient Kouretes (Curetes), whose life is the tune of pipes, whose life is goodly noise of beaten swords, whose heart is set upon rhythmic circling of the feet and the shield-wise dancing."

COMMENTARY

The name Sokos was probably derived from the Greek word sokos "the stout" or "the strong"--a common Homeric epithet of the god Hermes--or else from the word soukinos "made of amber." The latter is a fitting name for the father of Melisseus, the demi-god of amber-coloured honey and bees.
Sokos appears to belong to the elder Titan generation of gods and is perhaps connected with : Hesiod's Hekateros (Hecaterus), father of the Daktyloi (Dactyls); the Euboian god Karystos (Carystos), father of the honey-man Aristaios; and the Titan Krios (Crius) father of the rustic Astraios.