OIOLYKA
Greek Name
Οιολυκα
Transliteration
Oiolyka
Latin Spelling
Oeolyca
Translation
Lone Wolf (oios, lykos)
OIOLYKA (Oeolyca) was a sea-nymph daughter of the hundred-handed giant Briareos (Briareus). She may have been a minor deity of storm-generated wave-surges. According to some, Herakles was sent to fetch her girdle as his one of his Twelve Labours.
Oilokya's name means "Lone Wolf" from the Greek words oios "lone" and lykos "wolf." This perhaps describes the jaws of a large, breaking wave generated by her stormy parents--the storm-giant Briareos and wave-goddess Kymopoleia.
PARENTS
BRIAREOS (Ibycus Frag 299)
CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES
Ibycus, Fragment 299 (from Scholiast on Apollonius Rhodius) (trans. Campbell, Vol. Greek Lyric III) (C6th B.C.) :
"There are many stories about the girdle [that Herakles was sent to fetch]: some say it belonged to Hippolyta, others to Deilyka (Deilyca). Ibykos (Ibycus) is alone in saying that it belonged to Oiolyka (Oeolyca), daughter of Briareos (Briareus)."
SOURCES
GREEK
- Greek Lyric III Ibycus, Fragments - Greek Lyric C6th B.C.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page.