Assaracus

In Greek mythology, Assaracus (/əˈsærəkəs/; Ancient Greek: Ἀσσάρακος, Assarakos) was the second son of Tros, King of Dardania. He inherited the throne when his elder brother Ilus preferred to reign instead over his newly founded city of Ilium (which also became known as Troy). He married Hieromneme, daughter of Simoeis; others say his wife was Clytodora, daughter of Laomedon.[1] Assaracus' son and heir was Capys. He was also a brother of Ganymede.[2]

Family tree

 
 
 
Zeus/Jupiter
 
Electra
 
Teucer
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dardanus
 
 
 
Batea
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Erichthonius
 
 
Ilus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tros
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ilus
 
 
 
Assaracus
 
 
 
Ganymede
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Laomedon
 
Themiste
 
Capys
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Priam
 
 
 
Anchises
 
Aphrodite/Venus
 
Latinus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Creusa
 
 
 
 
 
Aeneas
 
 
 
Lavinia
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ascanius
 
 
 
 
 
Silvius
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Silvius
 
 
 
Aeneas Silvius
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Brutus of Britain
 
 
Latinus Silvius
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alba
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Atys
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Capys
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Capetus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tiberinus Silvius
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Agrippa
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Romulus Silvius
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aventinus
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Procas
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Numitor
 
Amulius
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rhea Silvia
 
Ares/Mars
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hersilia
 
Romulus
 
Remus
 

Modern appearances

He is mentioned in Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman as "the unseemly," brother to Mailure.[3]

Sibling Rivalry Press features a quarterly literary journal of poetry entitled Assaracus.[4]

In the Web Comic Looking for Group there is a cursed mage by this name who has been reshaped to have a face resembling a human butt. Assaracus aids one of the main characters in regaining his ability to use magic; The character in question (Richard) has not actually lost his powers, but they have been sealed so that he can no longer draw on them by killing innocents. Assaracus suggests that instead of killing the innocent he should try saving the lives of the guilty. Assaracus then admits to bearing an unspecified guilt and saying that he needs his life saved, but Richard tells one of the other protagonists to kill Assaracus and then regains his powers by attempting to use them to telekinetically block the axe. Richard then refuses to help Assaracus futher, and Assaracus swears revenge. He has recently reappeared at the head of an army of magically created chimeras.

References

  1. Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities, 1. 62. 2
  2. Bibliotheca 3. 12. 2
  3. Neil Gaiman The Sandman vol. 63 p.23
  4. Assaracus, Sibling Rivalry Press