TWT-12
John Jenkins Designs
The Trojan army defending the great city of Troy, led by their king Priam, had assistance from a long list of allies. These included the Lycians, which was a maritime district in south western Anatolia (now Turkey). It was situated along the Mediterranean coast between Caria and Pamphylia, and extended inland to the ridge of the Taurus Mountains.
Cycnus was the king of the town of Kolonai in the southern Troad. He was the son of Poseidon by Calyce. (daughter of Hecaton).
Legend tells that he was abandoned by his mother on the seashore, but was rescued by fishermen who named him Cycnus “swan” because they saw a swan flying over him. Other accounts, he is said to have had womanly white skin and fair hair, which is why he received his name that meant “swan”.
Cycnus supported the Trojans and was a great warrior, killing one thousand opponents. According to some accounts he killed the Greek hero Protesilaus.
It was said that being the son of Poseidon, he was invulnerable to spear and sword attacks. When Achilles confronted Cycnus he could not kill him via conventional weaponry so he crushed and suffocated him. After his death Cycnus was changed into a swan.