Myscellus
*Mu/skellos, (or
Μύσκελος), a native of Rhypes, one of the twelve divisions of Achaia, and, according to Ovid (
Metam. 15.15) a Heraclide, and the son of an Argive named Alemon.
He led the colony which founded Crotona, B. C. 710. They were assisted in founding the city by Archias, who was on his way to Sicily [ARCHIAS].
The colony was led forth under the sanction of the Delphic oracle, Myscellus having previously been to survey the locality.
He was so much better pleased with the site of Sybaris, that on his return he made an unsuccessful attempt to persuade the Delphic god to allow the colonists to select Sybaris as their place of settlement. Respecting the choice offered to Archias and Myscellus by the oracle, and the selection which each made, see ARCHIAS, Vol. I. p. 265. (Strab. vi. pp. 262, 269, viii. p. 387; Dionys. ii. p. 361; Schol.
ad Arist. Equit. 1089; Suidas
s. v. Μύσκελος; Clinton,
F. H. vol. i. anno 710, vol. ii. p. 265; Müller,
Dorians, 1.6.12.)
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C.P.M]
