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Danaïdes

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For the butterfly genus, see Danaus (genus).
John William Waterhouse, The Danaïdes (1906), [https://emuseum.aberdeencity.gov.uk/objects/2901 Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums Collection

In Greek mythology, the Danaïdes (/dəˈneɪ.ɪdiːz/; Greek: Δαναΐδες), also Danaides or Danaids, were the fifty daughters of Danaus, king of Libya. In the Metamorphoses,[1] Ovid refers to them as the Belides after their grandfather, Belus, king of Egypt. They were to marry the 50 sons of Danaus' twin brother Aegyptus, a mythical king of Egypt. In the most common version of the myth, all but one of them killed their husbands on their wedding night and are condemned to spend eternity carrying water in a sieve or perforated jug.

Family

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While all of the Danaids were daughters of Danaus, they may have all been born of differnet women. Apollodorus claims that six of the daughters were born to the naiad Polyxo; six to Pieria; two to Elephantis; four to Queen Europa; ten to the hamadryad nymphs Atlanteia and Phoebe; seven to an Aethiopian woman; three to Memphis; two to Herse, and lastly four to Crino.[2]

According to Hippostratus, all of the daughters were begotten by Europa, the daughter of the river god Nilus.[3] In other accounts, Melia, daughter of King Agenor, was the mother of all the Danaids.[4]

Mythology and literature

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King Danaus had a twin brother Aegyptus, an Egyptian king. Both men fathered 50 children, with Danaus having 50 daughters (the Danaids) and Aegyptus having 50 sons.[2] Aegyptus proposed marriages between all their children, but Danaus refused, as an oracle once foretold that he would die to the hand of his son-in-law.[5] He fled with his daughters to Argos, a city located in Greece near the ancient city of Mycenae. King Pelasgus of Argos surrendered the city to Danaus, and he became king.[6]

Aegyptus was enraged by his brother's betrayal. He organized an army led by all his sons, and sent them to Argos with the command that they should not return until either Danaus was dead or he had consented to let the brothers marry the Danaids. Danaus, facing a probable loss and wanting to protect the Argives, agreed to let the brothers marry his daughters in a large wedding feast where every couple was married on the same night.[2] However, he gave all the Danaids swords, and instructed them to kill their husbands after they had fallen asleep on their wedding night and bring their heads to him as proof of the deed.[7]

All the Danaids followed their father's command except one: Hypermnestra, who spared her husband Lynceus because he respected her desire to remain a virgin. Danaus was angered that his daughter refused to do as he ordered, so he imprisoned her and tried her in the Argive courts.[8] In one version of the myth, Lynceus killed Danaus as revenge for the death of his brothers, and he and Hypermnestra had Abas, founding king of the Danaid Dynasty.[9] In other versions of the myth, Danaus himself united Hypermnestra and Lynceus and later passed the kingdom to Lynceus.[2] Occasionally, Amymone[10] and/or Bryce (Bebryce)[11] are instead named as the Danaids who defied Danaus.

The Danaïdes kill their husbands, miniature by Robinet Testard.

Apollodorus claims the heads of the murdered husbands were buried at Lerna, where the Danaids carried out funeral rites in front of the city and Athena and Hermes then purified the ground at the command of Zeus.[2] However, Pausanias claims the heads were instead buried at Larisa, and the headless bodies were buried in Lerna.[7] Afterwards, the Danaids were said to be remarried through athletic contests, specifically footraces.[2] Pindar claimed that Danaus would place a daughter at the end of a racecourse, and arranged the suitors to race towards her. The first man who touched her robes could then marry her.[12] Pausanias instead wrote that Danaus had great difficulty in marrying off his daughters due to their crime, so he sent out a notice that he would give away his daughters without bride-gifts, and that each suitor could choose whichever daughter pleased him most. He then held a footrace where participants were able to choose their wife in the order they came in in the race. Races were carried out until every daughter was chosen.[13]

Some accounts tell that their punishment in Tartarus was being forced to carry a jug to fill a bathtub (pithos) without a bottom (or with a leak) to wash their sins off. Because the water constantly leaked, they would forever try to fill the tub without succeeding. In the classical tradition, they came to represent the futility of a repetitive task that can never be completed (see also Sisyphus and Ocnus).

The sisters are the subject of an epic of which only one detail is known, the Danais.[14] Aeschylus devoted a trilogy to the subject, containing The Suppliants, The Egyptians, and The Danaids, or perhaps a tetralogy, with Amymone.[15]

The Danaïds and their husbands

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Apollodorus

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The list in the Bibliotheca[16] preserves not only the names of brides and grooms but also those of their mothers. A lot was cast among the sons of Aegyptus to decide which of the Danaids each should marry, except for those daughters born to Memphis who were joined by their namesakes, the sons of Tyria. According to Hippostratus, Danaus had all these progenies begotten by a single woman, Europa, the daughter of Nilus.[3]

Apollodorus' List of Danaids
No. Danaids Mother Aegyptus' Sons Mother No. Danaids Mother Aegyptus' Sons Mother
1 Hypermnestra Elephantis Lynceus Argyphia 26 Chrysippe Memphis Chrysippus Tyria
2 Gorgophone Proteus 27 Autonoe Polyxo, a naiad Eurylochus Caliadne, a naiad
3 Automate Europe Busiris 28 Theano Phantes
4 Amymone Enceladus 29 Electra Peristhenes
5 Agave Lycus 30 Cleopatra (different one) Hermus
6 Scaea Daiphron 31 Eurydice Dryas
7 Hippodamia Atlanteia or of Phoebe,

the Hamadryads

Istrus Arabian woman 32 Glaucippe Potamon
8 Rhodia Chalcodon 33 Antheleia Cisseus
9 Cleopatra Agenor 34 Cleodore Lixus
10 Asteria Chaetus 35 Evippe (different one) Imbrus
11 Hippodamia (different one) Diocorystes 36 Erato Bromius
12 Glauce Alces 37 Stygne Polyctor
13 Hippomedusa Alcmenor 38 Bryce Chthonius
14 Gorge Hippothous 39 Actaea Pieria Periphas Gorgo
15 Iphimedusa Euchenor 40 Podarce Oeneus
16 Rhode Hippolytus 41 Dioxippe Aegyptus
17 Pirene Ethiopian woman Agaptolemus Phoenician woman 42 Adite Menalces
18 Dorion Cercetes 43 Ocypete Lampus
19 Phartis Eurydamas 44 Pylarge Idmon
20 Mnestra Aegius 45 Hippodice Herse Idas Hephaestine
21 Evippe Argius 46 Adiante Daiphron (different one)
22 Anaxibia Archelaus 47 Callidice Crino Pandion
23 Nelo Menemachus 48 Oeme Arbelus
24 Clite Memphis Clitus Tyria 49 Celaeno Hyperbius
25 Sthenele Sthenelus 50 Hyperippe Hippocorystes

Hyginus

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Hyginus' list[17] is partially corrupt, and some of the names are nearly illegible. Nevertheless, this catalog has almost nothing in common with that of Pseudo-Apollodorus. Names with the (†) symbol mean corrupted entries but annotations from various editors were provided to rationalize their possible names.

Hyginus' List of Danaids
No. Danaïdes Aegyptus' Sons No. Danaïdes Aegyptus' Sons
1 Idea †[18] Antimachus 26 Autodice Clytus
2 Philomela Panthius[19] 27 Polyxena Aegyptus
3 Scylla Proteus 28 Hecabe Dryas
4 Phicomone †[20] Plexippus 29 Acamantis or Achamantis † Echomius †
5 Evippe ? 30 Arsalte † Ephialtes
6 ? ? 31 Monuste † Eurysthenes †
7 ? Agenor[21] 32 Amymone Midamus †
8 Demoditas[22] ? 33 Helice Evideas †
9 ?[23] Chrysippus 34 Amoeme or Oeme Polydector
10 Hyale † Perius[24] 35 Polybe Itonomus †
11 Trite[25] Enceladus 36 Helicta † Cassus
12 Damone †[26] Amyntor 37 Electra Hyperantus †
13 Hippothoe[27] (possibly Hypothoe[28]) Obrimus (possibly Bromius)[29] 38 Eubule Demarchus
14 Myrmidone[30] Mineus †[31] (possibly Oeneus) 39 Daplidice † Pugnon †
15 Eurydice Canthus 40 Hero Andromachus
16 Cleo[32] Asterius[33] 41 Europome † Atlites or Athletes †
17 Arcania †[34] Xanthus 42 Pyrantis † Plexippus
18 Cleopatra Metalces 43 Critomedia Antipaphus
19 Philea †[35] Philinas[36] 44 Pirene Dolichus
20 Hyparete Protheon 45 Eupheme or Eupheno † Hyperbius
21 Chrysothemis Asterides † 46 Themistagora Podasimus
22 Pyrante Athamas 47 Celaeno Aristonoos †
23 Armo † asbus † 48 Itea † Antiochus
24 Glaucippe Niavius † 49 Erato † Eudaemon
25 Demophile Pamphilus 50 Hypermnestra Lynceus

Ellis

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A third list was provided by the English antiquarian, Henry Ellis, which was derived from Hyginus. The names of the Danaïdes were complete but with new entries and some alterations in the spellings.[37] It can be observed that the names Armoaste and Danaes (Danais) were an addition to complete the list, while Scea (Scaea) and Autonomes (Automate), which were borrowed from Apollodorus' accounts were also added.

Comparison of Hyginus' and Ellis' List of Danaids
Hyginus Ellis Hyginus Ellis Hyginus Ellis Hyginus Ellis Hyginus Ellis
1 Midea or Idea Idea 11 Trite Trite 21 Chrysothemis Chrysothemis 31 Monuste Monuste 41 Europome Europomene
2 Philomela Philomela 12 Damone Damone 22 Pyrante Heranta 32 Amymone Amimone 42 Pyrantis Chrysanta
3 Scylla Scillo 13 Hippothoe Hippothoe 23 ? Armoaste 33 Helice Helice 43 Critomedia Critomedia
4 (Am)Phicomone Phicomene 14 Myrmidone Mirmidone 24 Glaucippe Glaucippe 34 Oeme Amaome 44 Pirene Pyrene
5 Evippe Euippe 15 Eurydice Euridice 25 Demophile Demophile 35 Polybe Polybe 45 Eupheme Eupheno
6 ? Danaes 16 Cleo Chleo 26 Autodice Autodice 36 Helicta Helicte 46 Themistagora Themistagora
7 ? Scea 17 Arcadia or Arcania Vrania 27 Polyxena Polyxena 37 Electra Electra 47 Celaeno Paleno
8 Demoditas Demoditas 18 Cleopatra Cleopatra 28 Hecabe Hecate 38 Eubule Eubule 48 Itea Itea
9 ? Autonomes 19 Phila or Philae Phylea 29 Acamantis Achamantis 39 Daplidice Daphildice 49 Erato Erato
10 Hyale Hyale 20 Hipparete Hypareta 30 Arsalte Arsalte 40 Hero Hero 50 Hypermnestra Hypermnestra

Other Danaïdes

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Part of a series on the
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Several minor female characters mentioned in various accounts unrelated to the central myth of Danaus and the Danaïdes are also referred to as daughters of Danaus. These include:

Modern literature

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The Daughters of Danaus is also the title of an 1894 novel by Mona Caird, also dealing with imposed marriage although, in this case, it is a single marriage instead of 50, and in 19th-century Great Britain.

In 1910,[51] the Hungarian poet Mihály Babits published his poem The Danaids, translated into English by Peter Zollman[52] and István Tótfalusi.[53]

Magda Szabó's 1964 novel, A Danaida (The Danaid), is about a woman who lives selfishly for two-thirds of her life without realizing that even she can change the course of history.

Le Châtiment des Danaïdes is an essay by the French-Canadian author Henri-Paul Jacques applying the Freudian concept of psychoanalysis to studying the punishment imposed on the Danaïdes after they committed their crimes.[54]

In Monday Begins on Saturday, it is mentioned that the Danaïdes had their case reviewed in modern times, and, due to mitigating circumstances (the marriage being forced), had their punishment changed to laying and then immediately demolishing asphalt.

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Danaides.

Notes

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  1. ^ Book 10, lines 10–63.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Apollodorus, 2.1.5
  3. ^ a b Tzetzes, Chiliades 7.37 p. 370-371
  4. ^ Scholia on Apollonius Rhodius, Notes on Book 3.1689
  5. ^ "Commentary on the Heroides of Ovid: Hypermnestra". Perseus Digital Library. Retrieved 2025-03-28.
  6. ^ Apollodorus. 2.1.4
  7. ^ a b Pausanias. 2.24.2
  8. ^ Pausanias. 2.19.6
  9. ^ Pausanias, 10.35.1
  10. ^ Scholia on Pindar, Pythian Ode 9.200
  11. ^ Eustathius on Dionysius Periegetes, 805
  12. ^ Pindarus, P.9.
  13. ^ Pausanias. 3.12.2
  14. ^ Brown, Andrew. "Danaus and the Danaids". Oxford Classical Dictionary. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.013.2019.
  15. ^ Diamantopoulos, A. (1957). "The Danaid Tetralogy of Aeschylus". The Journal of Hellenic Studies. 77: 220–229. JSTOR 629361.
  16. ^ Apollodorus, 2.1.5
  17. ^ Hyginus, Fabulae 170
  18. ^ Schmidt emended this as Idaea or Midea
  19. ^ Schmidt emended this as Panthous; Bunte suggested this as Pandion, see Apollodorus, 2.1.5
  20. ^ Hyginus, Fabulae 170 (Latin ed. Schmidt): possibly can be read as Iphigomene, or as Iphinoe and Theonoe
  21. ^ Hyginus, Fabulae 170 (Latin ed. Schmidt): possibly Euchenor compared to Agenor
  22. ^ Hyginus, Fabulae 170 (Latin ed. Schmidt): possibly can be read as Demodice
  23. ^ Hyginus, Fabulae 170 (Latin ed. Schmidt): possibly Chrysippe as cited in Apollodorus, 2.1.5 p. 85 Heyne
  24. ^ Hyginus, Fabulae 170 (Latin ed. Bunte): possibly can read as Pierus
  25. ^ Hyginus, Fabulae 170 (annotation by Robert Unger): possibly Trete as cited in Statius' Thebaid p. 195
  26. ^ Hyginus, Fabulae 170 (Latin ed. Bunte): possibly can read as Damno
  27. ^ compare with Hippothous in Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 2.1.5
  28. ^ Hyginus, Fabulae 170 with annotations by Mauricius Schmidt
  29. ^ compare with Bromius in Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 2.1.5 as cited in Hyginus, Fabulae 170 with annotations by Mauricius Schmidt
  30. ^ can be read as Myrmydone as cited in Hyginus, Fabulae 170 with annotations by Mauricius Schmidt
  31. ^ corrected as Oeneus by Bernhardus Bunte in Hyginus, Fabulae 170 and compare to Oeneus in Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 2.1.5
  32. ^ can be read possibly as Cleodora (Mauricius Schmidt) or simply Clio (Bernhardus Bunte) in their annotations of Hyginus, Fabulae 170
  33. ^ compare with Asteria in Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 2.1.5 as cited in Hyginus, Fabulae 170 with annotations by Mauricius Schmidt
  34. ^ the name was corrupted according to Mauricius Schmidt in his annotations in Hyginus, Fabulae 170 [1]
  35. ^ can be read possibly as Philinna according to Mauricius Schmidt in his annotations of Hyginus, Fabulae 170
  36. ^ can be read possibly as Phileas (Phileam) according to Mauricius Schmidt in his annotations of Hyginus, Fabulae 170
  37. ^ Raphaell Holinshed, William Harrison, Richard Stanyhurst, John Hooker, Francis Thynne, Abraham Fleming, John Stow. Holinshed's Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland, Chapter 3. Henry Ellis' Edition. J. Johnson. London. 1807.
  38. ^ "The Parian Marble". Ashmolean. March 7, 2001. Entry 9. Archived from the original on December 25, 2013. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  39. ^ Herodotus, Histories 2.182
  40. ^ Stephanus of Byzantium, Ethnica s.v. Olenos
  41. ^ Scholia on Homer, Iliad, 2. 499
  42. ^ a b Scholia on Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 1.752
  43. ^ Tzetzes on Lycophron, Alexandra 157
  44. ^ a b Callimachus, Hymn 5 to Athena, 47–48
  45. ^ a b Clement of Alexandria, Recognitions 10.21
  46. ^ Scholia on Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 1.230
  47. ^ Pherecydes, fr. 37a
  48. ^ Pausanias, Graeciae Descriptio 4.30.2
  49. ^ Antoninus Liberalis, Metamorphoses, 32
  50. ^ Pausanias, Graeciae Descriptio 3.22.11
  51. ^ Issue 5, vol. 1910 of the semimonthly literary journal Nyugat
  52. ^ The Danaids in Hungarian and in English, translated by Peter Zollman
  53. ^ The Danaids in Hungarian and in English, translated by István Tótfalusi
  54. ^ Vian Francis (1969). "Henri-Paul Jacques, Mythologie et psychanalyse « Le Châtiment des Danaïdes »". Revue des Études Anciennes (in French). 71 (3–4): 464–465.

References

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