Lycaon
Overview
In Greek mythology, Lycaon was a king of Arcadia who, in the most popular version of the myth, tested Zeus' omniscience by serving him the roasted flesh of Lycaon's own son Nyctimus, in order to see whether Zeus was truly all-knowing.
In return for these gruesome deeds, Zeus transformed Lycaon into a wolf, along with his offspring; Nyctimus was restored to life.
Despite being notorious for his horrific deeds, Lycaon was also remembered as a culture hero: he was believed to have founded the city Lycosura, to have established a cult of Zeus Lycaeus and to have started the tradition of the Lycaean Games, which Pausanias thinks were older than the Panathenaic Games. According to Gaius Julius Hyginus, Lycaon dedicated the first temple to Hermes of Cyllene.
King Lycaon
Once upon a time, there lived a king named Lycaon. He ruled over the land of Arcadia and had thousands of men and women under his command. His palace was filled with gold, fine foods and elaborate artwork, but one thing he did not have was love. One day King Lycaon was hunting in the forest and he came upon a small lake. As he approached, he saw a lady sitting at the edge of the lake, singing. Her song was a song full of longing. Drawn in by her words, King Lycaon dismounted from his horse and approached her. When the woman turned to face the King, her incredible beauty struck him.“My lady, your song is so beautiful, but so depressing. Please tell me what you wish and I will do everything in my power to grant it. But first, what shall I call you?”
“You may call me Lilith, my Lord. I am distressed because I fear I will never find a man to love. My father is too hard to please and he will not grant permission for me to marry anyone.”
The King had already fallen for the beautiful damsel and so he was quick to volunteer.
“Certainly he would not deny a King! Come with me and I will make you the happiest bride in all the land.”
Lilith knew of King Lycaon and what a great king he was to his people. She loved him for offering his hand in marriage, but said that it was not possible to marry him her father’s approval would not be had.
“Who is your father?” the King inquired.
“Why he is Jupiter, king of the gods.”
“My heavens!” King Lycaon exclaimed. “I’ll have to prepare the greatest feast in the history of man.”
King Lycaon proceeded to enlist all of his men and women to prepare the palace for Jupiter’s arrival. He had drapes of gold hung from every rafter. Fine food was imported from every corner of the world. And he brought in performers from distant lands to provide entertainment. The King had prepared to host Jupiter over the course of seven days. The very first day Jupiter arrived on a cloud from heaven. He was very regal in his purple robes, carrying a golden staff. The palace appeared dull next to his glowing radiance. Each day the King would try to engage the god and impress him with his wealth. He gave Jupiter great gifts of furs and perfumes, but Jupiter offered no more than a simple thank you. Throughout the proceedings, Jupiter would hardly look at the King. Feeling greatly insulted, the King tried all the harder to win over Lilith’s father, but the more he tried, the more Jupiter resented him. The next five days carried on in the same fashion — eating, drinking, and being entertained. If King Lycaon had one flaw it was his temper. When he was pushed, it didn’t take very much to set him off. Jupiter knew of Lycaon’s temper and thought to exploit it. In order to push the King past his limit, Jupiter insulted the King’s mortality. He laughed at how puny and finite the King’s life was. In retaliation, the King told his head cook to prepare a steak of human flesh, but to make it appear appetizing. In that way he would get back at Jupiter by tricking him into eating the unclean meal. Lilith had left the city and did not know about her father's dealings with Lycaon, when the King had his next meal with Jupiter. The cooks served the meal as usual, but Jupiter immediately recognized the ruse. “How dare you serve me human flesh! You have insulted me by trying to bring me down to man’s level. In return I will bring you down a level. For you will roam the world in the form of a wolf from this day forward.” Instantly, King Lycaon transformed into a wolf. With a glance back, Jupiter threw away his blessing — believing Lilith would flee once she saw the King's true form. he taunted “You have permission to marry my daughter, but I doubt she’ll want you now that she can see the beast you truly are.” Then Jupiter vanished to the heavens.
King Lycaon was horrified at what he had become and ran to his bedchambers. Luckily, Jupiter’s wife, Juno, was watching the whole scene unfold. She snuck into Lycaon’s chambers and made a deal with him. If he could control his temper, she would mend Jupiter’s curse. “Yes! I’ll do whatever. Just please free me from this wretched form!” Juno transformed King Lycaon back into a human, but warned him that whenever he lost his temper he would turn back into a wolf and that he would not return to human form until he calmed down. With Jupiter’s blessing, Lilith and Lycaon were married and lived together happily for many years. They had a child, a small girl. Thesela, who was ever bit as stubborn and difficult as both her parents and her grandfather. Upon her 13th birthday she declared that she wanted to marry a young farm boy. Lycaon politely and nicely explained that she was too young and that she would in time feel differently. Enraged the young lady stormed off to her room and Lycaon thought the matter at rest. Later that night he went to check on his beloved daughter. Finding her missing he searched frantically, had the guard search the city. In time she was found and brought before the king. she was with the young man. Lycaon told his soldier to leave the room so he could talk to them privately and he engaged in conversation with the young children. The young man spouted off to Lycaon and was brazen well beyond his station. Lycaon's temper started to be tested and he turned into a wolf and murdered the two children. When the Soliders came back into the room they found the children who looked like they had been savaged by beats, and their king covered in blood and sobbing. Lilith was horrified to discover his curse and the murder of her child, knowing her fathers curse was upon her and realizing that King Lycaon was a monster. In a fit of rage She fled from Lycaon’s kingdom. Little did she know that she was already with child — the first werewolf child. She named her Lycantha, but that is another story
Lycaon was the son of Pelasgus and either the Oceanid Meliboeaor Deianira, daughter of another Lycaon. His wife was called Cyllene, a naiad nymph who gave her name to Mount Cyllenê though sometimes she was regarded as his mother instead. In some accounts, the Arcadian town Nonakris was thought to have been named after his wife. Lycaon was also known to have had at least three daughters: Callisto, Dia and Psophis.
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