In Greek mythology, Phineas (also spelled Phineus, Φινεύς) was a Phoenician King of Thrace. The name 'Phineas' or 'Phineus' may be associated with the ancient city of Phinea (or Phineopolis) on the Thracian Bosphorus.
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Some ancient writers recognize two Thracian kings by the name of Phineas/Phineus. The first was a son of Agenor who, like his brothers Phoenix, Cadmus, Thasus and Cilix, departed his Phoenician homeland in search of his sister Europa, who had been abducted by the god Zeus. Phineas gave up his search in Thrace, and settled on the western shores of the Black Sea, in eastern Thrace. This Phineas was the father of Thynus, Bithynus, Mariandynus and Paphlagonus, although the first two were his sons by adoption, their father being a certain Odrysus. These four men founded four kingdoms along the shores of the Black Sea - Thynia, Bithynia, Mariandyne, and Paphlagonia - but are otherwise unheard of.
Phineas was also the uncle of Andromeda, and was at first engaged to her. However, when Perseus saved her from sacrifice, Perseus became her husband. Phineas was so outraged that he stormed into the wedding hall with his followers and demanded Andromeda to be wed to him. That was when Perseus pulled out Medusa's head for Phineas and his followers to see and become stone.
The second (and much more famous) Phineas lived several generations later, although his genealogical connection to the first Phineas is unclear. This second Phineas features in the story of Jason and the Argonauts, and was married to Cleopatra, daughter of Boreas. Phineas and Cleopatra had two sons, named Plexippus and Pandion, who were mistreated by their stepmother, Idaea, who Phineas married after the death of Cleopatra. His residence was the city of Salmydessus on the Black Sea. This Phineas was said to be a son of Poseidon, or of Phoenix, and had the gift of prophecy. Zeus, angry that Phineas revealed too much of the plans of the gods, punished him by blinding him and setting him on an island with a buffet of food. However, he could eat none of it because the harpies (vicious winged women) stole the food out of his hands right before he could eat.[1] This continued until the arrival of Jason and the Argonauts. They sent the winged heroes the Boreads after the harpies. They succeeded in driving the monsters away but did not kill them, as a request from Iris: Goddess of Rainbows who promised that Phineas would not be bothered by the harpies again. It is said that the Boreads were turned back by Iris at the Strophades.[2] As thanks, Phineas told the Argonauts how to pass the Symplegades. He was betrayed by his wife's son Jason who gave him the Golden Fleece. He was recognized as a traitor.
A now lost play about Phineas, Phineus, was written by Aeschylus and was the first play in the trilogy that included The Persians, produced in 472 B.C.[2]