In the Greek Mythology, Prosymnos or Polymnos are shepherd. He lives close to the lake Alcyone to Lerne in the Argolide.

Eager to go to visit his/her mother with the Hells, Dionysos asks for the assistance of Prosymnos like guide. This last agrees to show the way to him while plunging with him in the lake, which communicates with the kingdom of Hadès. This dive is associated with many initiatory rites in old Greece, generally related to the passage of adolescence at the adulthood, and thus also with the loves between elder (éraste) and a junior (eromene). Prosymnos thus agrees to help the young god but requires in exchange that this one, when it would be of return, grant its favors to him.

But when Dionysos returns from the Hells, Prosymnos, it, died. The god decides to keep to his commitment despite everything: he cuts a piece of Figuier in form of Phallus and, sitted on the tomb of Prosymnos, discharges his debt. This myth, omitted by the majority of the writers on Greek mythology, is nevertheless known thanks to the Christian authors like Clément of Alexandria and Arnobe.

The myth of Prosymnos was studied by Bernard Sergent in homosexuality in Greek mythology (1984), included in its Homosexualité and initiation among Indo-European people .

Sources

• Arnobe, Against pagan the (V, 28).

• (II, 34,2-5).
• (II, 5).
• (II, 37).
• Plutarque, Isis and Osiris (35).