Iphimedeia
| Iphimedia | |
|---|---|
Princess of Thessaly | |
| Member of the Thessalian Royal Family | |
| Other names | Iphimede, Iphimedea, Iphimedia |
| Abode | Thessaly |
| Genealogy | |
| Parents | Triopas and Hiscilla |
| Siblings | Erysichthon and Phorbas |
| Consort | (1) Poseidon (2) Aloeus |
| Children | (1) Aloadae (Otus and Ephialtes) (2) Aloadae and Pancratis (Pancrato) |
In Greek mythology, Iphimedeia (/ˌɪfɪmɪˈdaɪə/; Ancient Greek: Ἰφιμέδεια) or Iphimede (Ἰφιμέδη) was a Thessalian princess. She was attested in Homer's Odyssey in the Catalogue of women as being a mortal.
Family
Iphimedia was the daughter of Triopas of Thessaly (a son of Poseidon and Canace) and probably by Hiscilla, daughter of King Myrmidon[1] of Phthia. Her possible brothers were Erysichthon[2] and Phorbas.[3]
Iphimedea had by Poseidon the twins Otus and Ephialtes who were called the Aloadae after their stepfather.[4] One account called these men's natural father as Aloeus, husband and paternal uncle of Iphimede.[5] The latter mothered as well Pancratis (or Pancrato) to Aloeus.
Mythology
Iphimedeia also fell in love with Poseidon, god of the sea, and would often come to the sea shore where she poured the sea water in her lap, until the god came and answered her feelings (cf. the story of Tyro).[6]
Iphimedia's daughter Pancratis was renowned for her beauty. When the two participated in the celebration of the orgies of Dionysus, they were carried off by the companions of the Thracian Butes and brought to the island of Strongyle (later Naxos) where Pancratis was given in marriage to the new king Agassamenus and Iphimedia to a friend and lieutenant of his. Two other leaders, Sicelus and Hecetorus, had fought over Pancratis and killed each other (or else they were Scellis and Agassamenus themselves). Soon after, Otus and Ephialtes, sent by Aloeus, defeated the Thracians and rescued their mother and sister but Pancratis died not much later.[7]
Connection with Hekate
According to Pietro Scarpi, Iphimedeia should be placed in the chthonic realm as a double of Hekate.[8]
Iphimedeia was one of the heroines whose spirits Odysseus encountered at the entrance of the Underworld.[9]
Ancient cults
Her name seems to be attested in Mycenaean Greek in the Linear B syllabic script at Pylos in the form 𐀂𐀟𐀕𐀆𐀊, i-pe-me-de-ja.[10][11]
Pausanias mentions a painting of Iphimedeia by Polygnotus, and remarks that she was honored by the Carians in Mylasa.[12]
The tomb of Iphimedeia and her sons was shown at Anthedon in Boetia.[13]
Notes
- ^ Hyginus, De Astronomica 2.14.5
- ^ Ovid, Metamorphoses 8.756
- ^ Homeric Hymns to Apollo 3.211
- ^ Homer, Odyssey 11.305; Pindar, Pythian Ode 4.89; Hyginus, Fabulae 28
- ^ Pausanias, 9.22.6
- ^ Apollodorus, 1.7.4
- ^ Diodorus Siculus, 5.50.6–51.2; Parthenius, Erotica Pathemata 19
- ^ Pietro Scarpi, "Un teonimo miceneo e le sue implicazioni per la mitologia greca," Bolletino dell'Istituto di Filologia greca dell'Università di Padova 2 (1975) 230-51
- ^ Homer, Odyssey 11.305
- ^ Pylos Tn 316 inscription
- ^ "The Linear B word i-pe-me-de-ja". Palaeolexicon. Word study tool of Ancient languages. Raymoure, K.A. "Pylos PY Tn Linear B Series". Minoan Linear A & Mycenaean Linear B. Deaditerranean. "PY 316 Tn (44)". DĀMOS Database of Mycenaean at Oslo. University of Oslo.
- ^ Pausanias, 10.28.8
- ^ Pausanias, 9.22.6
References
- Apollodorus, The Library with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. ISBN 0-674-99135-4. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website.
- Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History translated by Charles Henry Oldfather. Twelve volumes. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. 1989. Vol. 3. Books 4.59–8. Online version at Bill Thayer's Web Site
- Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica. Vol 1-2. Immanel Bekker. Ludwig Dindorf. Friedrich Vogel. in aedibus B. G. Teubneri. Leipzig. 1888-1890. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
- Gaius Julius Hyginus, Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
- Gaius Julius Hyginus, Astronomica from The Myths of Hyginus translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
- Homer, The Odyssey with an English Translation by A.T. Murray, PH.D. in two volumes. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1919. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website.
- Parthenius, Love Romances translated by Sir Stephen Gaselee (1882-1943), S. Loeb Classical Library Volume 69. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press. 1916. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
- Parthenius, Erotici Scriptores Graeci, Vol. 1. Rudolf Hercher. in aedibus B. G. Teubneri. Leipzig. 1858. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
- Pausanias, Description of Greece with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A., in 4 Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918. ISBN 0-674-99328-4. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library
- Pausanias, Graeciae Descriptio. 3 vols. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
- Publius Ovidius Naso, Metamorphoses translated by Brookes More (1859-1942). Boston, Cornhill Publishing Co. 1922. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
- Publius Ovidius Naso, Metamorphoses. Hugo Magnus. Gotha (Germany). Friedr. Andr. Perthes. 1892. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
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