Galaxy/The codex of Cilix

In Greek mythology, Cilix (Ancient Greek Κίλιξ) is a Phoenician prince, son of Agenor and Telephassa (or Argiope), brother of Cadmus, Phoenix, and Europa. Sent to recover Europa after Zeus carries her off, he abandons the search and settles in Asia Minor; the land and people take the name Cilicia from him.

Adapted from Wikipedia, "Cilix" · CC BY-SA 4.0

I.Brother of Europa

Apollodorus makes Cilix son of Agenor who, with Cadmus and Phoenix, is ordered never to return without Europa. The search fails; Cilix settles near Phoenicia about the Pyramus, and the country is called Cilicia after him. Herodotus knows the eponym among peoples of that coast.

Diodorus and Hyginus vary siblings and companions (Thasus as brother or nephew). Later literary retellings (e.g. Hawthorne) expand his remorse at quitting the quest; the core atlas fact remains the Agenorid eponym who founds or names Cilicia when Europa cannot be found.

II.Homonym note

Cilix is this Agenorid prince alone. Aegean or Mysian districts also called Cilicia in geography are place-names, not a second mythic brother.

AT A GLANCE

Greek nameKilix (Κίλιξ)
Typemortal
Domainseponymous king of Cilicia
ParentageAgenor
SymbolsEponym of Cilicia · Abandoned search for Europa
Cult centersCilicia (Levantine coast of Asia Minor)
EtymologyAncient Greek Κίλιξ (Kílix); folk etymologies link the name to horns or crookedness in connection with Zeus' bull, while the land-name Cilicia has separate Anatolian history.
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