Iphimedeia
Encyclopedia
In Greek mythology
, Iphimedeia was the daughter of Triopas
(a son of Poseidon
and Canace
). Her brothers were Erysichthon
and Phorbas
. She was the wife of Aloeus
, who was also her uncle, but fell in love with Poseidon and would often come to the sea shore and pour the sea water in her lap, until the god came and answered her feelings (cf. the story of Tyro
). With Poseidon
she was the mother of Otus
and Ephialtes
(who were called the Aloadae
after their stepfather), as well as Cercyon
and the bandit Sciron
. One account calls Aloeus natural father of the Aloadae.
With Aloeus, Iphimedeia had a daughter Pancratis (or Pancrato), renowned for her beauty. When she and her daughter were participating 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 himself). Soon after, Otus and Ephialtes, sent by Aloeus, defeated the Thracians and rescued their mother and sister; but Pancratis died not much later.
Iphimedeia was one of the heroines whose spirits Odysseus
encountered at the entrance of the Underworld
.
Pausanias mentions a painting of Iphimedeia by Polygnotus
, and remarks that she was honored by the Caria
ns in Mylasa.
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
, Iphimedeia was the daughter of Triopas
Triopas
In Greek mythology, Triopas, Triophas or Triops was the name of several characters, whose relations are unclear. He belonged to the house of Phoroneus....
(a son of Poseidon
Poseidon
Poseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
and Canace
Canace
In Greek mythology, Canace was a daughter of Aeolus and Enarete, and lover of Poseidon.Canace had seven brothers and six sisters. Her brothers were Athamas, Cretheus, Deioneus, Macar , Perieres, Salmoneus and Sisyphus. Her sisters were Alcyone, Arne, Calyce, Peisidice, Perimele and Tanagra...
). Her brothers were Erysichthon
Erysichthon
In Greek mythology, Erysichthon can refer to two different personages:-Erysichthon of Thessaly:...
and Phorbas
Phorbas
In Greek mythology, Phorbas or Phorbaceus may refer to:*Phorbas, a prince of the Thessalian Phlegyes who emigrated to Elis in the Peloponnesos. Phorbas was the son of Lapithes and Orsinome, and a brother of Periphas. He assisted Alector, king of Elis, in the war against Pelops, and shared the...
. She was the wife of Aloeus
Aloeus
Aloeus can indicate one of two characters in Greek mythology:*Aloeus, the son of Poseidon and Canace, husband first of Iphimedeia and later of Eriboea , and father of Salmoneus , and the eponym of Otus and Ephialtes, collectively known as the Aloadae. These giants made war on the gods and...
, who was also her uncle, but fell in love with Poseidon and would often come to the sea shore and pour the sea water in her lap, until the god came and answered her feelings (cf. the story of Tyro
Tyro
In Greek mythology, Tyro was the daughter of Salmoneus and married Cretheus, but loved Enipeus. She gave birth to Pelias and Neleus, the twin sons of Poseidon. With Cretheus she had Aeson, Pheres, and Amythaon....
). With Poseidon
Poseidon
Poseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
she was the mother of Otus
Aloadae
In Greek mythology, the Aloadae were Otus and Ephialtes , sons of Iphimedia, queen of Aloeus, by Poseidon, whom she induced to make her pregnant by going to the seashore and disporting herself in the surf or scooping seawater into her bosom. From Aloeus they received their patronymic, the Aloadai...
and Ephialtes
Ephialtes
Ephialtes of Trachis was the son of Eurydemus of Malis. He betrayed his homeland by showing the Persian forces a path around the allied Greek position at the pass of Thermopylae, which helped them win the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC.-Trail:The allied Greek land forces, which Herodotus states...
(who were called the Aloadae
Aloadae
In Greek mythology, the Aloadae were Otus and Ephialtes , sons of Iphimedia, queen of Aloeus, by Poseidon, whom she induced to make her pregnant by going to the seashore and disporting herself in the surf or scooping seawater into her bosom. From Aloeus they received their patronymic, the Aloadai...
after their stepfather), as well as Cercyon
Cercyon
Cercyon - Κερκύων was a figure in Greek mythology. He was the King of Eleusis, and a very strong man. According to the different versions, he was the son of:*Poseidon and one of the daughters of Amphictyon, or...
and the bandit Sciron
Sciron
In Greek mythology, Sciron or Sceiron was a bandit killed by Theseus on the way from Troezen to Athens.An Isthmian outlaw, he was the son of either Pelops or Poseidon. He dwelled at the Sceironian Rocks, a cliff on the Saronic coast of the Isthmus of Corinth; He robbed travelers passing the...
. One account calls Aloeus natural father of the Aloadae.
With Aloeus, Iphimedeia had a daughter Pancratis (or Pancrato), renowned for her beauty. When she and her daughter were participating in the celebration of the orgies
Orgia
In ancient Greek religion, an orgion was an ecstatic form of worship characteristic of some mystery cults...
of Dionysus
Dionysus
Dionysus was the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy in Greek mythology. His name in Linear B tablets shows he was worshipped from c. 1500—1100 BC by Mycenean Greeks: other traces of Dionysian-type cult have been found in ancient Minoan Crete...
, they were carried off by the companions of the Thracian Butes
Butes
In Greek mythology, the name Butes referred to nine different people.*An Argonaut, son of Teleon and Zeuxippe . When the Argonauts were sailing past the Sirens, he was the only one to not resist the charm of their singing and swim off to them. But Aphrodite saved Butes by transferring him to...
and brought to the island of Strongyle (later Naxos
Naxos (island)
Naxos is a Greek island, the largest island in the Cyclades island group in the Aegean. It was the centre of archaic Cycladic culture....
), 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 himself). Soon after, Otus and Ephialtes, sent by Aloeus, defeated the Thracians and rescued their mother and sister; but Pancratis died not much later.
Iphimedeia was one of the heroines whose spirits Odysseus
Odysseus
Odysseus or Ulysses was a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the Odyssey. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's Iliad and other works in the Epic Cycle....
encountered at the entrance of the Underworld
Greek underworld
The Greek underworld was made up of various realms believed to lie beneath the earth or at its farthest reaches.This includes:* The great pit of Tartarus, originally the exclusive prison of the old Titan gods, it later came to be the dungeon home of damned souls.* The land of the dead ruled by the...
.
Pausanias mentions a painting of Iphimedeia by Polygnotus
Polygnotus
Polygnotus was an ancient Greek painter from the middle of the 5th century BC, son and pupil of Aglaophon. He was a native of Thasos, but was adopted by the Athenians, and admitted to their citizenship....
, and remarks that she was honored by the Caria
Caria
Caria was a region of western Anatolia extending along the coast from mid-Ionia south to Lycia and east to Phrygia. The Ionian and Dorian Greeks colonized the west of it and joined the Carian population in forming Greek-dominated states there...
ns in Mylasa.