Assaracus

In Greek mythology, Assaracus (/əˈsærəkəs/; Ancient Greek: Ἀσσάρακος, Assarakos) was the second son of Tros, King of Dardania. He inherited the throne when his elder brother Ilus preferred to reign instead over his newly founded city of Ilium (which also became known as Troy). He married Hieromneme, daughter of Simoeis; others say his wife was Clytodora, daughter of Laomedon.^[1] Assaracus' son and heir was Capys. He was also a brother of Ganymede.^[2]

Modern appearances

He is mentioned in Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman as "the unseemly," brother to Mailure.^[3]

Sibling Rivalry Press features a quarterly literary journal of poetry entitled Assaracus.^[4]

In the Web Comic Looking for Group there is a cursed mage by this name who has been reshaped to have a face resembling a human butt. Assaracus aids one of the main characters in regaining his ability to use magic; The character in question (Richard) has not actually lost his powers, but they have been sealed so that he can no longer draw on them by killing innocents. Assaracus suggests that instead of killing the innocent he should try saving the lives of the guilty. Assaracus then admits to bearing an unspecified guilt and saying that he needs his life saved, but Richard tells one of the other protagonists to kill Assaracus and then regains his powers by attempting to use them to telekinetically block the axe. Richard then refuses to help Assaracus further, and Assaracus swears revenge. He has recently reappeared at the head of an army of magically created chimeras.

References

1. Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities, 1. 62. 2
2. Bibliotheca 3. 12. 2
3. Neil Gaiman The Sandman vol. 63 p.23
4. Assaracus, Sibling Rivalry Press