Shimshon, Magic Hair, and Greek Mythology

The riddle form and the concept that unshorn magical hair confers on its wearer superhuman strength isn't Canaanite:

1. Nisus, king of Megara was invincible as long as his magic locks were intact. When his daughter Scylla, who was in love with his enemy King Minos, cut them while he slept, his powers vanished and he was captured by King Minos.

2. Pterelaos, king of Teleboea and a grandson of Poseidon, was made immortal by his magic locks. His daughter Comaeto, in love with his enemy King Amphitryon, shaved his locks and thereby caused his downfall. Legend has it that, while Amphitryon was thus preoccupied, Zeus spent a night of love with the queen, extending it by stopping the sun and moon in their course, which resulted in the bith of Heracles.

3. Apollo's Greek titles mean "golden-haired" and "never shorn."

There's more where those came from.

The idea behind Shimshon isn't Canaanite or West-Semitic, but is rather Minoan-Mycenean. Coincidence that Dan had Philistine neighbors?

PS - It seems as though Dan got the whole idea of the riddle from the Greeks (via the Philistines) as well. Oh, well. Cool story anyway.

*From "Samson's Riddle and Samson's Magic Locks," by Othniel Margalith. Vetus Testamentum XXXVI, 2 (1986).