InGreek mythology, KingLyncus (Greek:Λύγκος,pronounced[ˈlyŋkos]) of theScythians was taught the arts ofagriculture byTriptolemus but he refused to teach it to his people and then tried to kill Triptolemus.Demeter turned him into alynx as punishment.^[1]

The myth is not known from any extant Greek sources, but it is found inOvid'sMetamorphoses 5.648-661

Now the youth [i.e. Triptolemus] was carried high over Europe and Asia. He turned his face towards Scythia where Lyncus was king. He stood before the king's household gods. He was asked how he had come there, and the reason for his journey, his name, and his country. He said 'Athens, the famous city, is my home, Triptolemus, my name. I came not by ship, on the sea, or by foot, overland. The clear air parted for me. I bring you the gifts of Ceres. If you scatter them through the wide fields, they will give you back fruitful harvests, and ripening crops.' The barbarian was jealous. So that he might be the author, of so great a gift, he received him like a guest, but attacked Triptolemus, with a sword, while he was in deep sleep. As he attempted to pierce the youth's breast, Ceres turned the king into a lynx, then ordered the Athenian youth to drive the sacred yoke back through the air.

• Gaius Julius Hyginus,Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies.Online version at the Topos Text Project.
• Maurus Servius Honoratus,In Vergilii carmina comentarii. Servii Grammatici qui feruntur in Vergilii carmina commentarii; recensuerunt Georgius Thilo et Hermannus Hagen. Georgius Thilo. Leipzig. B. G. Teubner. 1881.Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
• Publius Ovidius Naso,Metamorphoses translated by Brookes More (1859-1942). Boston, Cornhill Publishing Co. 1922.Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
• Publius Ovidius Naso,Metamorphoses. Hugo Magnus. Gotha (Germany). Friedr. Andr. Perthes. 1892.Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.

This article relating to a royal inGreek mythology is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it.

• v
• t
• e

• Kings in Greek mythology
• Mythological felines
• Metamorphoses into animals in Greek mythology
• Deeds of Demeter
• Greek mythology royalty stubs

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text
• Pages with Greek IPA
• All stub articles