In Greek mythology, Autolycus was a successful robber who had even the power of metamorphosing both the stolen goods and himself. He had his residence on Mount Parnassus and was renowned among men for his cunning and oaths.
Biography
There are a number of different accounts of the birth of Autolycus. According to most, he was the son of Hermes and Chione or Philonis. In Ovid's version, Autolycus was conceived after Hermes had intercourse with the virgin Chione. Pausanias instead states that Autolycus' real father was Daedalion. In some accounts, his mother was also called Telauge. Depending on the source, Autolycus was the husband of Mestra, or of Neaera,, or of Amphithea. He became the father ofAnticlea and several sons, of whom only Aesimus, father of Sinon was named. Autolycus' other daughter was Polymede, mother ofJason, the famous Argonaut who led a group of men to find the coveted Golden Fleece. A different Autolycus, the son of Deimachus, was a part of the Argonauts who went on the journey to find the fleece.
Mythology
Adventures
Autolycus obtained most of the same skills that his supposed father Hermes possesses, such as the arts of theft and trickery. It was said that he "loved to make white of black, and black of white, from a hornless animal to a horned one, or from horned one to a hornless". He was given the gift that his thievery could not be caught by anyone. He had a helmet to make him invisible. Autolycus, master of thievery, was also well known for stealing Sisyphus' herd right from underneath him – Sisyphus, who was commonly known for being a crafty king that killed guests, seduced his niece and stole his brothers' throne and was banished to the throes of Tartarus by the gods. Heracles, the great Greek hero, was taught the art of wrestling by Autolycus. However, Autolycus was a source of trouble in Heracles' life, because when Autolycus stole some cattle from Euboea and Eurytus, they accused Heracles of the deed; upon going mad from these accusations, Heracles killed them and another one of Eurytus' sons, Iphitus. This led to Heracles serving three years of punishment to repent the deed.
Odysseus' name
Through Anticleia, Autolycus was also the grandfather of the famous warrior Odysseus, and he was responsible for the naming of the child as well. This happened when the nurse of the child Eurycleia "laid the child upon his knees and spoke, and addressed him: Autolycus, find now thyself a name to give to thy child's own child; be sure he has long been prayed for". Then Autolycus answered: "Since I have been angered with many, both men and women, let the name of the child be Odysseus".
Although not as well known as many other Greek mythological figures, Autolycus has appeared in a number of works of fiction.
Autolycus appears as a paragon of thievery in Thomas De Quincey's "On Murder Considered as One of the Fine Arts".
A comic thief in Shakespeare'sThe Winter's Tale boasts that he is named after Autolycus and, like the latter's father, Mercury/Hermes, is "a snapper-up of unconsidered trifles".
Autolycus appears in Diana Wynne Jones' book The Game as a very mischievous brat.
In the television series' and ', Autolycus appears as a comical antihero, portrayed by cult actor Bruce Campbell, who has a kinder heart than he lets on. As the self-proclaimed "King of Thieves", he is depicted as a thief of great cunning but even greater ego which typically results in him getting in over his head in one scenario after another and even getting caught by Hercules. His wardrobe includes a green tunic, possibly in reference to Robin Hood.
Autolycus is the name of a fictional racehorse in the 1935 film The Clairvoyant, starring Claude Rains.
Autolycus is the name of Debbie Aldridge's horse in the BBC Radio 4 series The Archers.
Autolycus appears in an episode of the Canadian television seriesClass of the Titans episode "Bad Blood" voiced by Joseph May. He was hired by Cronus to steal Hercules' last surviving arrow.
The superhero/trickster figure of Uncle Sam in Robert Coover's The Public Burning is described in the following terms : "American Autolycus, they called him in the Gospels, referring to his cunning powers of conjuration, transmutation, and magical consumption ”.
Autolycus was the pen name Aldous Huxley used when writing the 'Marginalia′ column in the Athenaeum.
In the gameAge of Empires Online, there is an army of computer-controlled opponents who call themselves the Followers of Autolycus. They must be defeated during several quests of the Greek civilization.
Autolycus was portrayed by Rufus Sewell in the 2014 movie Hercules.
Series 4, episode 5 of the British television seriesFather Brown is entitled "The Daughter of Autolycus".
The family of non-tailed dsDNA marine bacteriophages, Autolykiviridae, were named after Autolycus for their elusiveness, which had delayed their discovery.
