Oineus

According to Greek mythology, Oineus (also Oeneus, Engl. "wine man") was king of Pleuron and Kalydon in Aetolia (in the southwest of mainland Greece ) and a grandson of the war god Ares. He had once forgotten to sacrifice to Artemis, and so she sent a mighty boar which devastated the land, after which the so-called Calydonian Hunt was organised. Oineus was visited by Dionysus and showed him great hospitality and honour. The wine god then gave him a vine and instructed him in viticulture. Oineus then planted the mountains of Aetolia with grapes. In his honour, the plant was henceforth called Oineus, from which is also derived Oinos, the Greek name for wine, and also oenology (oenology). According to another version, however, the shepherd Staphylus brought the king a vine and instructed him in viticulture. The picture shows Oineus on a lekythos (vessel for olive oil), with cloak and sceptre around 500 BC. See also lists under the keywords wine gods and wine saints.

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Oineus

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