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(Φυλλίς; Phyllís). [German version] [1] Eponymous heroine of the territory on the lower Strymon Eponymous heroine of the territory on the lower Strymon (Struma), which she brings as the dowry to her marriage with Acamas the son of Theseus. When he is unfaithful to her she curses him and he dies. The legend illustrates the great interest of Athens in the region with its rich mineral sources (Aeschin. 2,31 with schol.; Thuc. 1,100,3; 4,102; Androtion FGrH 324 F 33; Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 495). P. hangs herself and i…

[German version] (Πολύκλεια/ Polýkleia). Heroine from the family of the Heraclidae, who received an oracular prediction that the first person to cross the Achelous [1] would become ruler of the Boeoti, who were at the time living in Thessalia. She asked her brother Aeatus to carry her over the river, broke away shortly before reaching the other bank and was the first to set foot there; her brother then married her to secure power for his family and they had a son, Thessalus (Polyaenus, Strat. 8,44). Harder, Ruth Elisabeth (Zürich) Bibliography G. Radke, s. v. Polykleia (1), RE 21, 1695-1698.

(Ἑλένη; Helénē, Lat. Helena). [German version] [1] Beautiful wife of Menelaus ('Helen of Troy') Goddess who was worshipped at various cult sites in and around Sparta, especially in the M…

(Νιόβη/ Nióbē, Lat. Nioba). [German version] I. Mythology Daughter of Tantalus and Dione or Euryanassa (Hyg. Fab. 9, schol. Eur. Or. 4) and wife of Amphion [1] (Hes. fr. 183 M./W.). The oldest version of the myth is found in Hom. Il. 24,602-617 in the form of a comparison by which Achilles seeks to induce Priam to overcome his grief over his son's death just as N. did. N.'s children, the Niobids (Νιοβίδαι/ …

(Ἀταλάντη; Atalántē). [German version] A. Myth Mythological daughter of Schoeneus or of Iasius and Clymene. In a Boeotian version she is allowed to remain a virgin, but to do so she has to defeat all suitors in a race (Hyg. Fab. 185).  Hippomenes receives three golden apples from Aphrodite, which he drops in A.'s way during the competition, and which she picks up (Hes. fr. 72-76 M-W, Ov. Met. 10.560-680), whereby he wins. The pair consummate their union in a sanctuary of Cybele or Zeus and are, as punishment, turned into lions. In the Arcadi…

[German version] (Ἑρμιόνη; Hermiónē). Daughter of  Helene and  Menelaus (Hom. Od. 4,12ff.), sister of Nicostratus (Hes. fr. 175 M-W). According to one version of the myth, Menelaus promises her to  Neoptolemus outside the gates of Troy (Hom. Od. 4,3ff.), in another version she is promised to  Orestes before the war (Soph. Hermione TrGF 4, 192f.; Eur. Andr. 966ff.; Ov. Epist. 8, slightly different in Eur. Or. 1653ff.). Neoptolemus abducts her but is killed by Orestes (Eur. Andr. 993ff.; 1085ff.; Hyg. Fab. 122f.). Eur. Andr. makes …

[German version] (Ἀνδρομέδα; Androméda). Daughter of  Cepheus king of the Cephenes or Aethiopians, and  Cassiepea (Apollod. 2,43), who boasted that she was as beautiful as the Nereids. This angered Poseidon, who sent tidal waves and a sea monster onto the shore. An oracle then promises release from the plague, if A. would surrender herself to the sea monster. Cepheus then has A. bound to a rock at the shore, where  Perseus sees her on his return after the Gorgon adventure. After she promises to go …

(Πραξιθέα/ Praxithéa). [German version] [1] Wife of Erechtheus Daughter or granddaughter of Cephisus; on the one hand, she is the wife of Erechtheus (Demaratus FGrH 42 F 4) and mother of several children (am…

(Γαλατεία; Galateía). [German version] [1] Nereid Nereid, daughter of  Nereus and  Doris (Hom. Il. 18,45; Hes. Theog. 250; Apollod. 1,11), whose name probably refers to the milky-white colour, i.e. either to sea-foam or milk in its important role in pasture farming (Lucian 14,3; Eust. 1131,5…

(Λάνασσα; Lánassa). [German version] [1] Ancestress of the Molossian dynasty Daughter of Cleodaeus, granddaughter of Hyllus, great-granddaughter of Hercules [1], ancestress of the Molossian dynasty of Epirus (Plut. Pyrrhus 1,2; Lysimachus, FGrH 382 F 10). Neoptolemus abducts her from the Zeus temple of Dodona, marries her and has eight children with her, among them Pyrrhus (Iust. 17,3,4).…

[German version] (Ἀλκμήνη; Alkmḗnē). Daughter of king Electryon of Mycenae or Tiryns and of Lysidice, Eurydice or Anaxo (Hes.scut.3; Diod. Sic. 4,9,1; Apollod. 2,52). She marries  Amphitryon, who kills Electryon and has to flee with A. The marriage is to be consumated only after Amphitryon has avenged A.'s brother, who died in…

[German version] (Τέκμησσα/ Tékmēssa, Latin Tecmessa). Phrygian princess, given to Ajax [1] as a prize (Hom. Il. 1,138). With her he fathers Eurysaces. In Soph.  Aj. the character of T. is developed for the first time, her relationship with Ajax is defined by mutual respect and fidelity (Dictys 2,18; Quint. Smyrn. 5,521-567). Roman tragedy writers also took an interest in the subject, as did Horace (Carm. 2,4,5f.) and Ovid (Ars am. 3,517-520). Harder, Ruth Elisabeth (Zürich) Bibliography J. Boardman, s. v. T., LIMC 7.1, 832  E. Oberhummer, s. v. T. (1), RE 5 A, 157 f.  K. Synodinu, T…

[German version] (Ὠρείθυια/ Ōreíthyia). Mentioned in Homer (Il. 18,48) as a Nereid, but not in Hesiod's catalogue of Nereids (Theog. 240ff., Apollod. 1,11f.). Her name ('storming in the mountains') suggests she is a 'bride of the wind'. In Attic mythology, she is the daughter of the Attic king Erechtheus and of Praxithea. O. is abducted to Thrace by the wind god Boreas, who makes her his wife (Hdt. 7.189; Verg. G. 4,463). Their children are Cleopatra [I 1] and Chione [1] as well as Calais and Zetes…

[German version] (Πολυξένη/ Polyxénē, Latin Polyxena). Daughter of Priamus and Hecabe. In the Cypria (PEG I fr. 34) she is killed …

[German version] (Πανδώρα/ Pandṓra). Her name ('She who gives everything') is used as an epiclesis of chthonic deities such as Gaia and Hecate (Orph. A. 974ff.; schol. Aristoph. Av. 971). It is not possible to discern a clear development of the figure of P. in the transmitted versions of the myth that would clarify her connection with those deities. P. as the original or first woman can first be found in Hesiodus (Theog. 570-591; Hes. Op. 57-105). At Zeus' order, P. is formed from earth and water by Hephaestus, adorned and equipped with skills by Athen…

[German version] (Ἰοκάστη/ Iokástē, in older sources also Ἐπικάστη/Epic…

[German version] (Ἀερόπη; Aerópē). Daughter of Catreus, granddaughter of Minos II. Because of a prophecy that Catreus will be killed by the children of A., Catreus hands her and her sister Clymene over to  Nauplius to be sold (Apollod. 3,15) or to be killed; possibly on account of a romantic a…

[German version] (Πρόκρις/ Prókris, Lat. Procris). Daughter either of Erechtheus and Praxithea (Apollod. 3,196) or Pandion (Hyg. Fab. 189; 241) or Iphiclus (Serv. Aen. 6,445). Renowned hunter, married to the Athenian hunter Cephalus [1], who, disguised, tests her fidelity by seducing her with gifts (cf. Pherecydes acc. to Schol. Hom. Od. …

Harder, Ruth Elisabeth (Zürich) [German version] A. Introduction (CT) Papyrus was the most important writing material in Antiquity [13]; it was also used for administrative and personal purposes (the so-called documentary papyri) and for the transcription of literary texts by Greeks who had settled in Egypt following the conquests of Alexander the Great. From ca. 300 BC to ca. 700 AD Greek texts were written on papyri in Egypt, and these papyri were preserved, re-used (for other texts or for use as wrap…

[German version] (Μύρρα; Mýrrha). Daughter of the Cyprian king Cinyras and Cenchreis or of the Assyrian king Theias. The gods' anger causes her to fall in love with her father. She is able to have sexual intercourse with him without being recognized, and becomes pregnant. When he recognizes her he tries to kill her; Zeus or Aphrodite takes pity on her and transforms her into a tree; her tears are the resin of the myrrh tree. Later Adonis is born from that tree (Apollod. 3,183f. = Panyassis fr. 27 B…

(Σκύλλα/ Skýlla, Σκύλλη/ Skýllē, Lat. Scylla). [German version] [1] Sea monster Sea monster, daughter of Crataeis or Hecate and Phorcys; originally a young woman, transformed by Circe, Amphitrite or Poseidon into a monster (Hom. Od. 12,73-92; Anaxilas fr. 22,4 PCG 2; Verg. Ecl. 6,74-77; Verg. Aen. 3,426-432; Isid. Orig. 11,3,32; Them. Or. 22,279b-d compares the various depictions) out of jealousy when she was wooed b…

(Ἀντιόπη; Antiópē). [German version] [1] Daughter of the river god Asopos In epics, the daughter of the river god Asopus (Hom. Od. 11,260 ff.; Apoll. Rhod. 1,735), according to Euripides' Antiope (in Hyg. Fab. 8) daughter of the Theban king Nycteus and Polyxo (Apollod. 3,111; Paus. 2,6,1). Zeus falls in love with her and unites with her in the form of a satyr [1…

[German version] (Τιλφοῦσα, Τέλφουσα; Tilphoûsa, Télphousa). Boeotian well nymph, who does not allow Apollo to build his oracle temple at her well, and sends him to Delphi so that she herself can preserve her area of influence. Apollo later fills in her well and in its place builds an altar to himself (Hom. H. 3,244-276; 3,375-387). According to Apollod. 3,84 Teiresias meets his death after drinking from her well; his grave was marked for a long time (Str. 9,2,27; 9,2,36). T. is also known in Arcadia (Paus. 8,25,1-3). Harder, Ruth Elisabeth (Zürich) Bibliography E. Wüst, s. v. T., RE 6 …

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[German version] (Θαλλώ; Thallṓ). One of the Horae, the daughters of Zeus and Themis (Hes. Theog. 901-903; Hes. Op. 74 f.). The assignment of T. to the Horae or to the Charites is controversial, as are the number and names of the Horae (Hyg. Fab. 183; Paus. 9,35,1-4; Poll. 8,106). Harder, Ruth Elisabeth (Zürich) Bibliography A. Lesky, s. v. Th., RE 5 A, 1214 f.  V. Machaira, s. v. Horai, LIMC 5.1, 502 f.; 5.2, 344-368.

(Γλαύκη; Glaúkē). [German version] [1] Nereide Nereid (Hom. Il. 18,39; Hes. Theog. 244; Hyg. Praef. 8), whose name describes the glossy blue as well as comparable colour shades of the sea (Hom. Il. 16,34; Hes. Theog. 440) and whose masculine counterpart is  Glaucus. G. is also represented as a nymph at various locations (Paus. 8,47,2f.; Tzetz. Theogony 100-102).…

(Ἡσιόνη; Hēsiónē). [German version] [1] Oceanid Oceanid, wife of  Prometheus (Aesch. PV 558). Harder, Ruth Elisabeth (Zürich) …

[German version] (Δηιάνειρα; Dēiáneira). Mythical daughter of king Oeneus of Calydon (Soph. Trach. 6f.) or of Dionysus (Apollod. 1,64; Hyg. Fab. 129) and  Althaea. After the death of her brother  Meleager, D., unlike her sisters, retained her human form (Ov. Met. 8,542ff.; Ant. Lib. 2 after Nicander; Hyg. Fab. 174). The river god Achelous wooed her; then  Heracles, who had heard Meleager singing D.'s praises, also arrived on the scene as a suitor (Pind. Fr. 249aSM; Bacchyl. 5,165ff. SM). Heracles d…

(Ἀρσινόη; Arsinóē). I. Myth [German version] [I 1] Daughter of Leukippos Daughter of Leucippus, sister of the Leucippids, who were abducted by the Dioscuri, she was the mother by Apollo of the Messenian Asclepius (Hes. fr. 50; Apollod. 3,117f.; Paus. 2,26,7; 4,3,2). In Sparta A. had a shrine (Paus.…

(Ἄγλαυρος, also Ἄγραυλος; Áglauros, Ágrauros). [German version] [1] Figure of Greek myth: Daughter the first king in Attica Daughter of  Actaeus, the first king in Attica, spouse of  Cecrops, mother of  Erysichthon, of   Aglaurus [2],  Herse and  Pandrosus. Harder, Ruth Elisabeth (Zürich) [German version] [2] Figure of Greek myth: Daughter of Actaeus [1] and of Cecrops Daughter of Actaeus [1] and of Cecrops. Athena entrusts Erichthonius to A. and her sisters in a chest guarded by snakes, forbidding them to open it, which A. and Herse do nonetheless. Through what they see they become insane and hurl themselves to thei…

[German version] (Αὔγη; Aúgē). Daughter of king Aleus of Tegea, who had made her a priestess of Athena [1. 368-385] in order to force her into chastity, as an oracle had predicted that her son would murder her brothers. She was raped by  Heracles (Hes. fr. 165 Merkelbach-West, Apollod. 2,146f.). Aleus discovered her pregnancy and had her thrown into the sea, together with her son  Telephus. Washed ashore in Mysia, she married …

[German version] (Ῥοιώ; Rhoiṓ). Daughter of Staphylus and Chrysothemis [1], sister of Molpadia [1] and Parthenus [2]. After the sisters fail to guard their father's newly produced wine, they throw themselves into th…

(Λαονόμη; Laonómē). [German version] [1] Daughter of Guneus Daughter of Guneus, wife of Alcaeus [1] (other names are also mentioned), mother of Amphitryon (Paus. 8,14,2; Apollod. 2,50). Harder, Ruth Elisabeth (Zürich) [German version] [2] Daughter of Amphitryon and Alcmene Daughter of Amphitryon and of Alcmene, sister of Heracles [1], wife of the son of Poseidon Euphemus (schol. Pind. Pyth. 4,79). In Hellanicus (FGrH 4 F 13) she is associated with the god of the Underworld Hodoedocus.…

(Μελίβοια/ Melíboia, Latin Meliboea). [German version] [1] Heroine Heroine, known within the Leto cult of Argos as Chloris [2] (on the aition: Paus. 2,21,9f.). In the Demeter cult of Hermion(e), Kore ( Persephone) bears the byname M. (Ath. 14,624e, the passage is textually disputed). M. first appears in Hom. Od. 11,281-287 as the daughter of Amphion [1], later also as the daughter of Niobe (Apollod. 3,47) and spouse of Neleus (Pherecydes FGrH 3 F 117). Ath. 13,557a mentions her as the spouse of Theseus. Harder, Ruth Elisabeth (Zürich) Bibliography R. Carden, The Papyrus Fragments of …

(Πηρώ; Pērṓ). [German version] [1] Daughter of Neleus and Chloris Daughter of Neleus [1] and Chloris [4], with twelve brothers, including Nestor [1]. Neleus demands Iphiclus' cattle as a bride price for P. Melampus [1] delivers the cattle for his brother Bias [1], who is given P. as his bride (Hom. Od. 11,281-297; 15,231-238; Apoll. Rhod. 1,120f.; Paus. 4,36,3; 10,31,10). Several of the couple's sons are part of the Argonaut campaign (Apoll. Rhod. 1,118-120).…

[German version] (Πενθεσίλεια/ Penthesíleia, Lat. Penthesilea). Amazon (Amazons), daughter of Ares and Otrere (Aithiopis argumentum, fr. 1f. PEG I), who to expiate blood guilt - in some sources the murder of her sister Hippolyte [1] (Apollod. Ep…

[German version] (Δανάη; Danáē). Mythical daughter of  Acrisius, the king of Argus, and Euridice or Aganip…

(Ἑκάλη; Hekálē). [German version] [1] Att. Heroine, hostess of Theseus Heroine of the like-named Attic deme on Pentelicon, who takes in  Theseus, who has been surprised by a storm on his way to fight the Bull of Marathon, very hospitably despite her poverty. As he returns after his victory, he finds her dead and out of gratitude establishes a cult to her and  Zeus Hekal(ei)os, at which the surrounding demes meet for an annual sacrifice.  Callimachus (Hecale fr. 230-377) and Plut. Thes. 14,6b-c (= Philocho…

(Μολπαδία; Molpadía). [German version] [1] Daughter of Staphylus and Chrysothemis Daughter of Staphylus and Chrysothemis [1]. Together with her sister Rhoeo, she was charged with guarding the wine, which had just been invented. However, they fell asleep and pigs overturned the jug. Out of fear, the sisters leapt into the sea. Apollo rescued them and took M. as Hemithea to Castabus in the Carian Chersonesus of Knidos (Diod. 5,62f.). Harder, Ruth Elisabeth (Zürich) [German version] [2] Amazon Amazon who killed Antiope [2], who was fighting alongside Theseus, after which sh…

[English version] (Πηνελόπη, homer.: Πηνελόπεια, lat. Penelope, Penelopa). Gattin des Odysseus. Seit der Ant. existieren zwei Deutungen ihres Namens. Nach der einen bedeutet P. “Weberin”, was auf die in der ‘Odyssee so prominent dargestellte typische Frauenarbeit hinweist, nach der anderen leitet sich ihr Name von pēnélops (“Ente”) ab, was damit erklärt wird, daß sie von ihren Eltern ins Meer geworfen und von Enten gerettet worden sei. Zur etym. Erklärung von P.s Namen s. [1]. P. ist die Tochter des arkadischen Königs Ikarios [2] und der Nymphe Periboia [1] (Apollod. 3,…

(Ἰσμήνη). [English version] [1] theban. Heroine Theban. Heroine, die sich wegen ihrer Liebesbeziehung zu Periklymenos den Zorn der Athene zuzieht und von Tydeus getötet wird (Mimn. fr. 21 IEG; Pherekydes FGrH 3 F 95). Im 5. Jh. v.Chr. wurde sie v.a. durch die Tragiker in den Oidipusmythos integriert: Als Tochter des Oidipus und der Iokaste oder Eury…

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[English version] (Πολύκλεια). Heroine aus dem Geschlecht der Herakleidai, der ein Orakel vorhersagt, daß der, welcher zuerst den Acheloos [1] überschreite, Herrscher der damals in Thessalien ansässigen Boioter werde. Sie bittet ihren Bruder Aiatos darum, sie durch den Fluß zu tragen, macht sich kurz vor dem anderen Ufer los und betritt dieses als erste, worauf ihr Bruder sie heiratet, um die Herrschaft für seine Familie zu sichern, und mit ihr Thessalos zeugt (Polyain. 8,44). Harder, Ruth Elisabeth (Zürich) Bibliography G. Radke, s. v. P. (1), RE 21, 1695-1698.

(Φυλλίς). [English version] [1] eponyme Heroine der Landschaft am unteren Strymon Eponyme Heroine der Landschaft am unteren Strymon, die sie als Mitgift in die Ehe mit dem Theseus-Sohn Akamas einbringt. Als er ihr untreu wird, kommt er durch ihren Fluch ums Leben. Die Sage illustriert das große Interesse Athens an der Gegend mit den…

(Κλυμένη, Clymene). [English version] [1] Mutter des Atlas Okeanide, Gattin des Iapetos, der mit ihr Atlas [2], Prometheus und Epimetheus zeugt (Hes. theog. 351; 507ff.; Hyg. fab. praef. 11,31). Bei Euripides (Phaethon 1ff.; 45ff. Diggle; vgl. auch Ov. met. 1,750ff.; Hyg. fab. 152a; 154; 156) ist sie Mutter des Phaethon. Harder, Ruth Elisabeth (Zürich) [English version] [2] Nereide Nereide (Hom. Il. 18,47; Hyg. fab. praef. 8), die nach Pausanias (2,18,1) mit Diktys [1] in Athen einen Altar als Retterin des Perseus hatte. Nach Verg…

(Δίρκη). [English version] [1] Tochter des Ismenos Tochter des Ismenos (Kall. h. 4,75ff.), Gattin des Königs Lykos. Beide sind dessen Nichte Antiope [2] feind und übergeben sie nach einem gescheiterten Fluchtversuch deren Söhnen Amphion und Zethos, die diese nach der Geburt ausges…

[English version] (Πενθεσίλεια, lat. Penthesilea). Amazone, Tochter des Ares und der Otrere (Aithiopis argumentum, fr. 1f. PEG I), die zur Reinigung von einer Blutschuld, in einigen Quellen vom Mord an ihrer Schwester Hippolyte [1] (Apollod. epit. 5,1; Q. Smyrn. 1,20-32), in den Troianischen Krieg eintritt und die Troianer nach dem Tod Hektors unterstützt (Hellanikos FGrH 4 F 149; Diod. 2,46,5). Sie tötet einige Griechen (Prop. 3,11,14f.; Q. Smyrn. 1,238-246), wird dann von Achilleus [1] besiegt, de…

(Λαοθόη). [English version] [1] Tochter des Thespios Tochter des Thespios, von Herakles [1] Mutter des Antiphos (Apollod. 2,163). Harder, Ruth Elisabeth (Zürich) [English version] [2] Geliebte des Apollon Geliebte des Apollon, dem sie Thestor gebiert, Großmutter des Kalchas (Pherekydes FGrH 3 F 108). Harder, Ruth Elisabeth (Zürich) [English version] …

(Μελίβοια, lat. Meliboea). [English version] [1] Heroine Heroine, die im Letokult in Argos als Chloris [2] bekannt ist (zum Aition: Paus. 2,21,9f.). Im Demeterkult von Hermion(e) trägt Kore (Persephone) den Beinamen M. (Athen. 14,624e, die Stelle ist textkritisch umstritten). Zum ersten Mal erscheint M. bei Hom. Od. 11,281-287 als Tochter des Amphion [1], dann auch als Tochter der Niobe (Apollod. 3,47) und Gattin des Neleus (Pherekydes FGrH 3 F 117). Athen. 13,557a erwähnt sie als Gattin des Theseus. Harder, Ruth Elisabeth (Zürich) Bibliography R. Carden, The Papyrus Fragments …

(Λαονόμη). [English version] [1] Tochter des Guneus Tochter des Guneus, Gattin des Alkaios [1] (neben ihr werden auch andere Namen genannt), Mutter des Amphitryon (Paus. 8,14,2; Apollod. 2,50). Harder, Ruth Elisabeth (Zürich) [English version] [2] Tochter des Amphitryon und der Alkmene Tochter des Amphitryon und der Alkmene, Schwester des Herakles [1], Gattin des Poseidonsohnes Euphemos (schol. Pind. P. 4,79). Bei Hellanikos (FGrH 4 F 13) ist sie mit dem Unterweltsgott Hodoidokos verbunden. …