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Rhadamanthus


In Greek mythology, Rhadamanthus (/ˌrædəˈmænθəs/) or Rhadamanthys (Ancient Greek: Ῥαδάμανθυς) was a wise king, the son of Zeus and Europa. Later accounts make him out to be one of the judges of the dead. His brothers were Sarpedon and Minos (also a king and later a judge of the dead).

Rhadamanthus was raised by Asterion. He had two sons, Gortys (associated with Gortyn, Crete) and Erythrus (founder of Erythrae).

Other sources (e.g. Plutarch, Theseus 20) credit Rhadamanthys rather than Dionysus as the husband of Ariadne, and the father of Oenopion, Staphylus and Thoas. In this account, Ariadne was the daughter of Minos, Rhadamanthys' brother; another Ariadne was the daughter of Minos' grandson and namesake, who features in the Theseus legend, and was rescued by Dionysus.

Although he was frequently considered one of the judges of the dead in the underworld, he was known for few legislative activities. There is a reference to a law of Rhadamanthus ordering the Cretans to swear oaths by animals and to another law of Rhadamanthus saying if a person defends themselves against another who initiated violence then they should suffer no penalty.


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