Phorbas and Apollo

Speranza

Phorbas is a sort of Heracles without divinity.

Without any cult of his own, Phorbas did not arouse the interest of the poets.

The oldest Phorbas is the Thessalian Phorbas.

Phorbas is a warrior hero.

Phorbas was a warrior, indeed an elite warrior.

Plutarco then is pointing out the obvious: as a typical warrior and educator, Phorbas must himself have been educated previously.