Devoir de Philosophie

Antiope

Publié le 22/02/2012

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antiope
Greek Mother of Amphion and Zethus, whose father was Zeus; daughter of a prince of the city of Thebes or perhaps of the river god Asopus. Zeus desired Antiope, and, disguised as a Satyr, raped her. She became pregnant. Fearing her father, Nycteus, Antiope fled Thebes, but, according to some stories, Epopeus, king of Sicyon, abducted her. In the meantime, Nycteus, in anguish over his missing daughter, killed himself after commanding his brother, Lycus to either punish or rescue Antiope. Lycus attacked Sicyon, rescued Antiope, and began the journey back to Thebes. On the way, Antiope gave birth to her twin sons. Some sources say both were the children of Zeus, others say only Amphion was a god and that Zethus was the mortal son of Epopeus. Antiope left the children on the hillside to die, but shepherds found them and raised the boys. Antiope then became the slave of Lycus' wife, Dirce, who treated her badly. Eventually, Zeus helped Antiope escape. She found her sons, now grown men, who avenged her treatment by conquering Thebes, and punished Dirce by tying her to the horns of a bull. The god Dionysus, angry at the death of Dirce, punished Antiope by driving her mad and causing her to wander, insane, across Greece. Eventually, she was discovered by Phocus, grandson of Sisyphus, who cured her then married her.

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