Dangerous Beauty: The Abduction of Hylas, Vat. Myth. 2.199

The Abduction of Hylas

Name:  Vatican Mythographers Date:   10th century CE Region:   Unknown Citation:   Vatican Mythographers  2.199

Abduction myths serve two purposes. For modern readers, they serve as a cautionary tale that all young persons are vulnerable to exploitation. For ancient readers, however, these beautiful youths’ abductions were euphemistic stories to help grieving parents cope with the loss of a child who died before reaching expected social milestones (e.g., entering adulthood or getting married).

When Hercules joined the Argonauts, he brought with him the incredibly beautiful Hylas as his squire. During the trip, he broke an oar while he was rowing, so the crew headed to the forests of Mysia for repairs. While Hylas was gathering  water, he fell into a river and is said to have been abducted by the water nymphs there. When Hercules went looking for him and the Argonauts tried to stop him, they left him behind in Mysia. Later on, when he realized that Hylas drowned, sacred rites were dedicated to him: his name “Hylas!” is proclaimed. 

The Abduction of Hylas

Hercules cum comes Argonautis accessisset, Hylam Thiodomantis filium admirandae pulchritudinis iuvenem secum duxit armigerum. Qui remum fregit in mari cum pro suis remigat viribus. Cuius reparandi gratia Mysiam petens silvam fertur ingressus. Hylas, vero cum aquatum cum urna perrexisset, in fluvium cecidit; unde a nymphis raptus esse dicitur. Quem dum Hercules quaerens ab Argonatuis impeditus esset,in Mysia est relictus. Postea cum cognitum esset in fonte eum perisse, statuta sunt ei sacra, in quibus mos fuerat ut nomen eius clamaretur in montibus.

Vatican Mythographers [10th century CE?] Little is known about the author or origin of the collection of myths known as the Vatican Mythographers, but the work’s first editor Angelo Mai found the collection on a manuscript dating back to the 10th century CE. This volume is a collection of three different mythographers who have assembled various Greco-Roman myths; although many of these myths are basic summaries in Latin, some of them are either analyzed as allegories or compared to Christian thought.