Perdix

Perdix was a nephew of Daedalus, and like his uncle, a gifted man. He invented the saw, the chisel and the compasses. The story goes that Daedalus became jealous of his skills, so threw him down from the temple of Athena on the Acropolis at Athens.

As he fell he was changed by Athena into a partridge, perdix. Robert Graves points out that this bird was a symbol of mating (from the dance of the cock before the hen) and that it was sacred to Aphrodite.

Pereus

Pereus was a brother of Aleüs, who married his (Pereus') daughter, Neaera. He is best known for his attempt to get rid of his niece Auge, after she had been seduced by Heracles. But his name probably does not relate to her, even though it seems to mean 'slave dealer', from perao, 'to sell slaves'.

Pergamus

Pergamus was the youngest son of Neoptolemus and Andromache, and the founder of Pergamum. As a city founder, it is appropriate that his name should derive from pergama, 'citadel'. Pergamos was the specific name of the citadel of Troy.

Periboea

Periboea is a 'rich' propitious name. It was that of the wife of Polybus (also called Merope), who was the foster mother of Oedipus, and also that of the daughter of Hipponoüs, who married Oeneus. It means 'surrounded by cattle', from peri, 'around' and boes, 'cattle'.

Periclymenus

Periclymenus is a propitious name if ever there was one. It means 'very famous', 'heard of all round', from peri, 'round' and clytos, 'famous'.

The name was that of a son of Poseidon who was a Theban champion in the war of the Seven Against Thebes, and also that of one of the twelve sons of Neleus, an Argonaut who had the power of changing his shape and who fought against Heracles. With regard to Poseidon's son, it is worth noting that one of the by-names of Poseidon himself was Clytos.

Perieres

Perieres was a son of Aeolus and Enarete. He married Gorgophone and she bore him Aphareus and Leucippus. Another Perieres was the charioteer of Menoeceus. The first element of the name seems to mean 'round' {peri), but the question is 'round what?' or 'surrounded by what?'. Perhaps the second half of the name derives from ercos, 'entrenchment', 'bulwark'. 'Surrounded by bulwarks' is certainly a good 'protective' name.

Perigune

Perigune, the daughter of Sinis and Sylea, was the mistress of Theseus, to whom she bore Melanippus. Her name, which is composed of the elements peri, 'round' and gounos, 'fruitful land', can be interpreted in two ways.

Either it is a purely propitious name, bringing wealth and fruitfulness, or it refers to the episode where Perigune fled from Theseus, hid in the vegetable garden, and begged the plants there to rescue her. So either 'fruitful land all round' or 'round the vegetable garden'.

Perimede

Perimede means 'very cunning', 'cunning all round', from peri, 'round' and medea, 'cunning', 'craft'. This propitious name was that of at least four mythological women, including the three respective daughters of Aeolus, Oeneus and Eurystheus, and the sister of Amphitryon.

Perimedes

Perimedes was a son of Eurystheus, and his name means exactly the same as that of his sister just mentioned.

Periopis

Periopis was a daughter of Pheres, king of Pherae. According to one account she was the mother of Patroclus by Menoetius. Her name means 'very rich', from peri, 'around' and pion, 'rich', 'wealthy'. This may have been a descriptive name or a 'wish fulfilment' one.