In Greek mythology, Erginus (Ancient Greek: Ἐργῖνος) was an Argonaut from Miletus, usually called a son of Poseidon (sometimes of Periclymenus). Some authors identify him with Erginus king of Minyan Orchomenus; this atlas keeps the Milesian sailor and the Orchomenian king as separate nodes.
Adapted from Wikipedia, "Erginus (Argonaut)" · CC BY-SA 4.0
I.Family and home
Erginus is said to be a son of Poseidon who resided in the Carian city of Miletus. Alternative genealogy makes him a son of Periclymenus. Hyginus lists Erginus son of Neptune from Miletus among the Argonauts, while noting that some make him son of Periclymenus from Orchomenus — the homonym hazard the catalogue leaves unresolved.
II.Argonaut
Apollonius names Erginus among the sons of Poseidon who sailed on the Argo: he left the citadel of glorious Miletus, boasting skill in seacraft and war (Argonautica 1.185). When the ship needed a helmsman after Tiphys' death, Erginus rose with Nauplius and Euphemus eager to steer, though the lot fell to Ancaeus at Athena's impulse (Argonautica 2.894–896).
Later tradition sometimes makes Erginus himself the pilot who succeeded Tiphys. At the funeral games Hypsipyle celebrated on Lemnos for her father Thoas, Erginus contended for a prize; the Lemnian women ridiculed his grey hair though he was still young, yet he defeated the Boreads in the foot-race (Pindar, Olympian 4, with scholia).
III.Homonyms
This atlas entry (erginus-miletus) is the Milesian Argonaut. Distinct from Erginus king of Minyan Orchomenus (erginus-orchomenus), whom Heracles defeated over the Theban tribute; from a Theban defender killed by Hippomedon in Statius' Thebaid; and from later anecdotal namesakes.