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Autolycus

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

In Greek myth, Autolycus was a cunning thief and trickster, son of Hermes, and maternal grandfather of Odysseus, known for his deceptive skills.

Detailed Definition
Autolycus, son of Hermes, could change the appearance of stolen goods. He named Odysseus and gave him cunning traits. In poetry, he represents trickery, legacy, and the divine inheritance of guile—key to Odyssean identity in epic and lyric traditions.
Example
Example in poetry:
Homer’s Odyssey describes Autolycus as Odysseus’s grandfather and master thief; Apollodorus recounts his skill in trickery and oath-breaking; Ovid references his cunning in Metamorphoses; In Hesiod, Autolycus is noted for surpassing all in thievery; Later poetry uses Autolycus as an archetype of deceptive cleverness.
Additional Notes
Autolycus, grandfather of Odysseus, is a master thief and oath-breaker, gifted by Hermes. In the Odyssey, he names Odysseus (“anger-man”) and gives him gifts. Students should analyze how his cunning prefigures Odysseus’s own trickery. His character embodies the ambivalence toward deceit in Greek ethics—condemned yet admired. Related: Hermes, Odysseus, trickster archetypes.
Also Known As
Autolycus the Trickster Thief of Hermes Grandfather of Odysseus Master of Oaths
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