In Greek mythology, several distinct people shared the name Merops

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Merops the father .of Eumelus, king of the island of Cos, which he thus called after his daughter, while the inhabitants were called after him, Meropes. His wife, the nymph Ethemea, was killed by Artemis, because she had neg­lected to worship that goddess, and was carried by Persephone to the lower world. Merops, from a desire after his wife, wished to make away with himself, but Hera changed him into an eagle, whom she placed .among the stars. (Hygin. Poet. Astr. ii. 16 ; Anton. Lib. 15 ; Eustath. ad Horn. p. 318 ; Eurip. Helen. 384.

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Merops, a king of the Ethiopians (father of Pandareus), by whose wife, Clymene, Helios became the father of Phaethon. (Strab. i. p. 33 ; Ov. Met. i. 763, Trist. iii. 4. 30; comp. Welcker, Die Aeschyl. Trilogie p.572,&c.)

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Merops from Percote,. He was a celebrated, soothsayer and the father of Cleite, Arisbe, Amphius, and Adrastus. (Hom. Il. ii. 831, xi. 329; Apollon. Rhod. i. 975; Strab. xiii. p. 586; Conon, Narrat. 41 ; Steph. Byz. Arisbe);

Soldiers from Adresteia, Apaesus, Pityeia,  
steep Mount Tereia were commanded by Adrestus   
and Amphius in cloth armour, Merops' sons from Percote, 
who knew more of prophecy than anyone. 
He gave his children orders stay out of war,
which eats men up.  They did not obey him.
Deadly black fates had called them on to battle.

Hom. Il. ii. 830

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Merops, a Trojan, who was slain by Turnus in his attack on the camp of Aeneas. (Virg. Aen. ix. 702.)

Merops is also the genus name of the bee-eater.

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