Idomĕneus
（
Ἰδομενεύς).
1.
The son of Deucalion of Crete, and grandson of Minos. Being one of Helen's suitors, he and
Meriones, the son of his half-brother, went with eighty ships to Troy, where he appears in
Homer as among the bravest of heroes. He is described by Homer (
Od. iii. 191) as one of those who safely returned to his native land.
According to a later story, he was caught in a storm on his way home, and vowed to Poseidon
that, if he returned in safety, he would sacrifice to the god whatever he should first meet
on his landing. His son came out to meet him, and was accordingly sacrificed; a plague
thereupon broke out, he was banished by the Cretans, and betook himself to Calabria. He
afterwards withdrew to Colophon in Asia, where he is said to have been buried. His tomb,
however, was shown by the Cretans at Cnosus, where he and Meriones were worshipped as
heroes.
2.
An Epicurean philosopher of Lampsacus, who flourished about B.C. 260. He wrote several
historical and philosophical works that are now lost.
