Telkhiny

Telkhins ( other Greek Τελχῖνες, Τελχΐναι, Θελγΐνες ) in ancient Greek mythology ^{[1] [2]} are volcanic deities of sea depth, revered in Rhodes as companions of Poseidon and, according to legend, constituted, according to legend, the ancient population of the island. The name telkhina comes from the verb θέλγω - I enchant, intoxicate; therefore, Stesichore calls this name Ker and those stunning blows that obscure the mind.

According to Nonna , there are three of them, they are sons of Poseidon ^[3] . According to Bacchillides , the sons of Tartarus and Nemesis, according to others - Gay and Pontus ^[4] . According to Eustathius, Acteon's rabid dogs became telkhins ^[5] . According to another version, they were expelled by Foroneus from the Peloponnese and settled on Rhodes ^[6] .

According to the " Historical Library " of Diodorus of Sicily , the telkhins were the first inhabitants of Rhodes. The sons of the sea goddess ( Thalassa ) and together with Kafira raised Poseidon , who entrusted them to the cares of Ray . They were the inventors of various arts and products, among other things - the art of making statues of gods. They were wizards ^[7] . They held a trident spear of Poseidon ^[8] . They were also recognized as sorcerers; change of weather was attributed to their power, apparently due to the volcanic nature of the island. They possessed the ability to change their appearance; did not share their knowledge and art with anyone. Therefore, they were credited with the manufacture of such objects of art that brought harm and death, for example, the sickle with which Kron castrated his father Uranus , the trident of Poseidon, etc.

According to local legend, Poseidon fell in love with the Telkhin sister Galia (sea goddess) and was from her the father of six wild sons and the daughter of Roda , whose name the island was named after. Like evil and envious demons, they, according to legend, sprinkled the fields of the island with Styx water to great harm to vegetation and animals. On the other hand, one of the telkhins, Milas (“Miller”), is credited with the invention of the mill.

According to Servius, 9 telkhins lived on Rhodes, whom Apollo killed in the form of a wolf ^[9] . According to Diodorus, having foreseen the impending flood, they left the island and settled ^[10] . Or, when Apollo , having decided to take possession of the island of Rhodes and liberate it from the authority of the Telkhins, flooded it, the Telkhins dispersed to different countries and, among other things, settled in Cyprus , Crete and Lycia . According to Strabo, there were 9 telkhins in Rhodes, and those who accompanied Hera to Crete were called Kurets ^[11] . They came from Crete to Cyprus, and then to Rhodes, the first to process iron and copper, made the Crohn's sickle ^[12] . Part of the Telkhins living in Crete arrived in Boeotia and founded the temple of Athena of Telhinia ^[13] . According to Ovid, Zeus hid the "people of the Ialis telkhins" under water ^[14] .

Callikhimus called his literary enemies Telkhinah ^[15] . According to Suetonius, the names of the telkhins are gold, silver and copper ^[16] . Belief in these underwater demon sorcerers was very common and existed for a very long time, even in the Byzantine era.