HYGINUS

FIRST FABLE.

Themisto.

Decorative woodcut initial letter 'A' depicting a seated figure within scrolling foliage.

Inventions.

Athamas, son of Aeolus, had a son Phrixus and a daughter Helle by his wife Nephele. By Themisto, daughter of Hypseus, he had two sons, Sphingius and Orchomenus. By Ino, daughter of Cadmus, he had two sons, Learchus and Melicertes. Themisto, because she thought Ino had deprived her of her marriage, wanted to kill her children. Therefore, she hid secretly in the palace and, having found an opportunity, while she thought she was killing the children of her enemy, she killed her own unintentionally, having been deceived by the nurse because she had put clothes on them in the wrong way. Themisto, having learned the truth, killed herself.

II. Ino.

Ino, daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia, when she wanted to kill Phrixus and Helle, the children born of Nephele, entered into a conspiracy with the matrons of the whole race and swore that they should toast the seeds given for sowing so that they would not grow. Thus, when there was sterility and a shortage of crops, the entire state perished, partly from famine and partly from disease. Athamas sent a messenger to Delphi about this matter. Ino instructed him to bring back a false response: that if he sacrificed Phrixus to Jupiter, there would be an end to the plague. When Athamas refused to do this, Phrixus voluntarily and willingly promised that he alone would free the city from distress. Therefore, when he had been led to the altar with the fillets and his father wanted to pray to Jupiter, the messenger, out of pity for the youth, revealed Ino’s plan to Athamas. The king, having learned of the crime, handed over his wife Ino and her son Melicertes to be killed by Phrixus. When he was leading them to their punishment, Liber Pater Bacchus cast a mist over him and snatched away his nurse Ino. Athamas, later struck with madness by Jupiter, killed his son Learchus. But Ino threw herself into the sea with her son Melicertes. Liber wanted her to be called Leucothea; we call her Mater Matuta. Melicertes, however, [he wanted to be called] the god Palaemon, whom we call Portunus. Every fifth year, gymnastic games are held for him, which are called the Isthmia.

III. Phrixus.