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Argus

Mythology
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

All-seeing giant with a hundred eyes set by Hera to guard Io after Zeus transformed her into a heifer. After Hermes slew him, Hera placed his eyes on the peacock's tail.

Detailed Definition
Argus Panoptes, employed by Hera to watch Io, was slain by Hermes. His eyes were placed in Hera’s peacock. He symbolizes vigilance and surveillance. In poetry, Argus appears as a metaphor for watchfulness, the limits of mortal guardianship, and divine cunning.
Example
Example in poetry:
Ovid’s Metamorphoses tells how Argus, the hundred-eyed watchman, guarded Io; Apollodorus recounts Hermes slaying Argus to free Io; In Virgil’s Aeneid, Juno preserves Argus’s eyes on the peacock’s tail; Hesiod mentions Argus as a vigilant guardian in early myth; Later allegory uses Argus to symbolize omniscient surveillance.
Additional Notes
Argus Panoptes (“all-seeing”) is a hundred-eyed giant slain by Hermes while guarding Io. His eyes are placed on the peacock’s tail by Hera. Students should note his role as a symbol of surveillance and failed protection. Ovid’s version (Metamorphoses 1) emphasizes Hermes’ cunning. The name “Argus” later denotes watchfulness (e.g., Argus-eyed). Related: Io, Hermes, Hera, peacock symbolism.
Also Known As
Argus the All-Seeing Hundred-Eyed Watchman Guardian of Io Slain by Hermes
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