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Danaïdes

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The Danaides(1904), aPre-Raphaeliteinterpretation byJohn William Waterhouse

InGreek mythology,theDanaïdes(/dəˈn.ɪdz/;Greek:Δαναΐδες), alsoDanaidesorDanaids,were the fifty daughters ofDanaus,king of Libya. In theMetamorphoses,[1]Ovidrefers to them as the Belides after their grandfatherBelus.They were to marry the50 sonsof Danaus' twin brotherAegyptus,a mythical king ofEgypt.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 device. In theclassical tradition,they came to represent the futility of a repetitive task that can never be completed (see alsoSisyphusandOcnus).

Mythology

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The Danaïdes kill their husbands, miniature byRobinet Testard.

Danaus did not want his daughters to go ahead with the marriages. He fled with them in the first boat toArgos,which is located inGreecenear the ancient city ofMycenae.Danaus agreed to the marriage of his daughters only after Aegyptus came to Argos with his fifty sons to protect the local population, theArgives,from any battles. The daughters were ordered by their father to kill their husbands on the first night of their weddings, and this they all did except for one,Hypermnestra,who spared her husbandLynceusbecause he respected her desire to remain avirgin.Danaus was angered that his daughter refused to do as he ordered and took her to the Argives courts. Lynceus killed Danaus as revenge for the death of his brothers, and he and Hypermnestra started theDanaid Dynastyof rulers in Argos. In other versions of the myth, Danaus himself united Hypermnestra and Lynceus instead.[2]

The other 49 daughters buried the heads of their bridegrooms inLernaand paid funeral honors to their bodies in front of the city. The godsAthenaandHermespurified them at the command of Zeus. Afterward, they remarried by choosing their mates in footraces (or their father bestowed them to the victors of the athletic contest[2]). Some accounts tell that their punishment inTartaruswas 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. This myth is probably connected with a ceremony concerning the worship of waters, and the Danaïdes were water-nymphs.

The Danaïds and their husbands

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Apollodorus

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The list in theBibliotheca[3]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 toHippostratus,Danaus had all these progenies begotten by a single woman, Europa, the daughter of Nilus.[4]

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 Atlanteiaor ofPhoebe,

theHamadryads

Istrus Arabianwoman 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 Ethiopianwoman Agaptolemus Phoenicianwoman 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[5]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[6] Antimachus 26 Autodice Clytus
2 Philomela Panthius[7] 27 Polyxena Aegyptus
3 Scylla Proteus 28 Hecabe Dryas
4 Phicomone[8] Plexippus 29 Acamantis or Achamantis † Echomius †
5 Evippe ? 30 Arsalte † Ephialtes
6 ? ? 31 Monuste † Eurysthenes †
7 ? Agenor[9] 32 Amymone Midamus †
8 Demoditas[10] ? 33 Helice Evideas †
9 ?[11] Chrysippus 34 Amoeme or Oeme Polydector
10 Hyale Perius[12] 35 Polybe Itonomus †
11 Trite[13] Enceladus 36 Helicta † Cassus
12 Damone[14] Amyntor 37 Electra Hyperantus †
13 Hippothoe[15](possibly Hypothoe[16]) Obrimus(possibly Bromius)[17] 38 Eubule Demarchus
14 Myrmidone[18] Mineus[19](possiblyOeneus) 39 Daplidice † Pugnon †
15 Eurydice Canthus 40 Hero Andromachus
16 Cleo[20] Asterius[21] 41 Europome † Atlites or Athletes †
17 Arcania[22] Xanthus 42 Pyrantis † Plexippus
18 Cleopatra Metalces 43 Critomedia Antipaphus
19 Philea †[23] Philinas[24] 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.[25]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 Mideaor 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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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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John William Waterhouse,The Danaïdes(1906),Aberdeen Archives, Gallery & Museums Collection

The Daughters of Danausis also the title of an 1894 novel byMona 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,[39]the Hungarian poetMihály Babitspublished his poemThe Danaids,translated into English by Peter Zollman[40]and István Tótfalusi.[41]

Magda Szabó's1964 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 Danaïdesis an essay by the French-Canadian authorHenri Paul Jacquestheapplying the Freudian concept of psychoanalysis to studying the punishment imposed on the Danaïdes after they committed their crimes.

InMonday 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 down and then immediately demolishingasphalt.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^Book 10, lines 10–63.
  2. ^abApollodorus, 2.1.5
  3. ^Apollodorus,2.1.5
  4. ^Tzetzes,Chiliades7.37 p. 370-371
  5. ^Hyginus,Fabulae170
  6. ^Schmidt emended this asIdaeaor Midea
  7. ^Schmidt emended this asPanthous;Bunte suggested this asPandion,seeApollodorus,2.1.5
  8. ^Hyginus,Fabulae170(Latin ed. Schmidt): possibly can be read as Iphigomene, or asIphinoeandTheonoe
  9. ^Hyginus,Fabulae170(Latin ed. Schmidt): possibly Euchenor compared to Agenor
  10. ^Hyginus,Fabulae170(Latin ed. Schmidt): possibly can be read asDemodice
  11. ^Hyginus,Fabulae170(Latin ed. Schmidt): possiblyChrysippeas cited in Apollodorus, 2.1.5 p. 85 Heyne
  12. ^Hyginus,Fabulae170(Latin ed. Bunte): possibly can read asPierus
  13. ^Hyginus,Fabulae170(annotation by Robert Unger): possibly Trete as cited inStatius'Thebaidp. 195
  14. ^Hyginus,Fabulae170(Latin ed. Bunte): possibly can read asDamno
  15. ^compare withHippothousin Pseudo-Apollodorus,Bibliotheca2.1.5
  16. ^Hyginus,Fabulae170with annotations by Mauricius Schmidt
  17. ^compare withBromiusin Pseudo-Apollodorus,Bibliotheca2.1.5 as cited in Hyginus,Fabulae170with annotations by Mauricius Schmidt
  18. ^can be read as Myrmydone as cited in Hyginus,Fabulae170with annotations by Mauricius Schmidt
  19. ^corrected asOeneusby Bernhardus Bunte in Hyginus,Fabulae170and compare to Oeneus in Pseudo-Apollodorus,Bibliotheca2.1.5
  20. ^can be read possibly as Cleodora (Mauricius Schmidt) or simplyClio(Bernhardus Bunte) in their annotations of Hyginus,Fabulae170
  21. ^compare withAsteriain Pseudo-Apollodorus,Bibliotheca2.1.5 as cited in Hyginus,Fabulae170with annotations by Mauricius Schmidt
  22. ^the name was corrupted according to Mauricius Schmidt in his annotations in Hyginus,Fabulae170 [1]
  23. ^can be read possibly as Philinna according to Mauricius Schmidt in his annotations of Hyginus,Fabulae170
  24. ^can be read possibly as Phileas (Phileam) according to Mauricius Schmidt in his annotations of Hyginus,Fabulae170
  25. ^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.
  26. ^The Parian Marble, Fragment 9 (March 7, 2001)."Interleaved Greek and English text (translation by Gillian Newing)".Archived fromthe originalon December 25, 2013.RetrievedJanuary 24,2019.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  27. ^Herodotus,Histories2.182
  28. ^Stephanus of Byzantium,Ethnicas.v.Olenos
  29. ^ScholiaonHomer,Iliad,2. 499
  30. ^abScholiaonApollonius Rhodius,Argonautica1.752
  31. ^TzetzesonLycophron,Alexandra157
  32. ^abCallimachus,Hymn 5 toAthena,47–48
  33. ^abClement of Alexandria,Recognitions10.21
  34. ^ScholiaonApollonius Rhodius,Argonautica1.230
  35. ^Pherecydes,fr. 37a
  36. ^Pausanias,Graeciae Descriptio4.30.2
  37. ^Antoninus Liberalis,Metamorphoses,32
  38. ^Pausanias,Graeciae Descriptio3.22.11
  39. ^Issue 5, vol. 1910of the semimonthly literary journalNyugat
  40. ^The Danaidsin Hungarian and in English, translated by Peter Zollman
  41. ^The Danaidsin Hungarian and in English, translated by István Tótfalusi

References

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