Procrustes

English > Greek (Woodhouse)

Προκρούστης, -ου, ὁ.

Prŏcrustes: ae, m., = Προκρούστης,
I a noted highwayman in Attica. He had a bed upon which he compelled travellers to lie down; when they were longer than the bed he cut off as much of their limbs as would suffice to make the length equal; and when they were shorter he stretched them out to its length. He was slain by Theseus: vidit et immitem Cephisias ora Procrusten, Ov. M. 7, 438: torvus, id. H. 2, 69; Sen. Clem. 2, 4, 1; cf. Hyg. Fab. 38.