Harmonia in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Harmonia

28 passages from 7 ancient authors that tell of Harmonia, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Harmonia is the goddess of harmony and concord in Greek mythology, known for her marriage to Cadmus and her role in fostering peace and unity among gods and mortals. For the story in one place, read our article on Harmonia.

Hesiod (1)

Hesiod, Theogony 960–1022Goddesses and mortal men; the end of the poem (960-1022)The Muses are asked to sing of the goddesses who lay with mortal men. Demeter bears Plutus to Iasion, Harmonia bears Ino, Semele, Agave, Autonoe and Polydorus to Cadmus, and Callirrhoe bears Geryon. The list continues with Eos and Tithonus, Aphrodite and Anchises, Thetis and Peleus, and ends with Circe and Calypso bearing sons to Odysseus before the poet turns to the company of women.

Apollodorus (2)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 3.5.1–9Dionysus, Pentheus, Niobe and OedipusDionysus roams Egypt, Syria and Thrace, where Lycurgus is punished, and returns to Thebes, where Agave tears her son Pentheus apart; he also turns the Tyrrhenian pirates into dolphins. Cadmus and Harmonia go to the Encheleans and become serpents, and the house of Labdacus continues through Laius, Antiope with Zethus and Amphion, and Niobe, whose children are shot by Apollo and Artemis. Laius, warned against fathering a son, exposes the infant Oedipus, who kills him unknowingly, answers the Sphinx's riddle, marries Jocasta and learns the truth.
Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 3.7.1–7Creon, Antigone, the Epigoni and AlcmaeonCreon takes the kingdom and forbids the burial of the Argive dead; Antigone buries Polynices and is entombed alive, and Theseus's Athenians recover the dead for Adrastus. Ten years later the sons of the fallen, the Epigoni, take Thebes under Alcmaeon, and the Thebans flee after Tiresias's death. Alcmaeon kills his mother Eriphyle, is driven mad, marries Arsinoe and Callirrhoe, and is killed over Harmonia's necklace and robe; his sons by Callirrhoe avenge him and colonize Acarnania.

Euripides (2)

Euripides, Bacchae 1302–1351Exodos: Dionysus' judgment and Kadmos' fateKadmos says that Pentheus, like Agave, did not revere the god, who therefore joined them all in one ruin, and he mourns his grandson. Dionysus appears and foretells that Kadmos and Harmonia will become serpents and lead a barbarian army against many cities, until Ares settles them in the land of the blessed. Kadmos and Agave plead that they have sinned, but Dionysus says that they learned too late.
Euripides, Phoenician Women 784–832Second choral song: the Chorus reproaches Ares and recalls the curse on ThebesThe Chorus asks Ares why he loves blood and war instead of the festivals of Bromius. They wish that Oedipus had died on Cithaeron and the Sphinx had never come. They recall the Sown Men, the wedding of Harmonia and the building of the walls to Amphion's lyre.

Diodorus Siculus (2)

Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 5.47.1–5.49.6Samothrace and its mysteriesThe historian tells of the early history of Samothrace, a flood that drove the people to the heights, and the lawgiver Saon. He tells of the wedding of Cadmus and Harmonia and the gifts brought to it, and of the mysteries, in which the gods are said to help initiates in danger.
Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 4.64.1–4.66.6Oedipus, the Seven against Thebes and the EpigoniLaïus is killed by his unknown son Oedipus, who solves the riddle of the Sphinx and, unknowingly marrying his mother, has two sons and two daughters; the sons quarrel over the throne. Polyneices gathers an army against Thebes and Eriphyle, bribed with the necklace of Harmonia, sends Amphiaraüs to his death; the Seven fail, and the Athenians force the Thebans to give up the dead. At the seer Teiresias' advice the Thebans leave the city for Tilphossaeum, and the Epigoni take and sack it, dedicating Teiresias' daughter Daphne to Delphi, where she is also called Sibylla.

Ovid (1)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 4.563–662Cadmus and Harmonia; Perseus and AtlasCadmus and Harmonia, grieving at their misfortunes, go away from Thebes, and Cadmus, remembering the serpent he killed, is turned into a serpent, and Harmonia follows him. Perseus, flying over Libya with the head of Medusa, comes at nightfall to the kingdom of Atlas, who has been told that a son of Zeus (Jupiter) would steal his golden apples, and who refuses him shelter. Perseus holds up the head of Medusa, and Atlas is turned into the mountain that holds up the sky.

Pausanias (3)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 9.16.1–7Thebes: temples of Ammon, Fortune, Aphrodite and Dionysus, and the tombs of Amphion's childrenPausanias describes the temple of Ammon at Thebes with its image dedicated by Pindar, the observatory of Tiresias and the sanctuary of Fortune carrying the child Wealth. He lists the ancient wooden images of Aphrodite, with the three surnames Harmonia gave her, the sanctuary of Lawgiver Demeter and the theatre with the temple of Dionysus the Deliverer. He mentions the house of Lycus, Semele's tomb and the tombs of the children of Amphion.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 9.12.1–6Thebes: the house of Cadmus, Harmonia and Semele, and the flute-player PronomusPausanias tells how the Thebans began to sacrifice working oxen to Apollo of the Ashes, and how Cadmus was led by a cow with moon-like marks to the spot where Thebes was founded, where an altar and image of Athena Onga stand. He describes the site of the house of Cadmus, the ruined bridal-chambers of Harmonia and Semele, and the log from heaven adorned by Polydorus as Dionysus Cadmus. He ends with the statue of the flute-player Pronomus, who invented flutes suited to every kind of melody, and the statue of Epaminondas.
Pausanias, Description of Greece 9.41.1–7Chaeronea: the sceptre as the only work of Hephaestus, Amathus' necklace and unguentsPausanias argues that the sceptre of Agamemnon is the only genuine work of Hephaestus, setting aside the Lycian bowl and the chest of Eurypylus. He considers the necklace of Harmonia at Amathus, concluding from Homer's description that it is not the golden necklace of Eriphyle. He ends with Mount Petrachus above Chaeronea, where Cronus was said to be deceived with a stone, and with the unguents the city distils from lilies, roses, narcissus and iris.

Nonnus of Panopolis (17)

Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 4.0–105Book 4: Harmonia refuses; Aphrodite comes as PeisinoeElectra tells Harmonia of Zeus's wish, and Harmonia protests against marrying a wandering stranger. Aphrodite, disguised as a neighbour girl called Peisinoe, then flatters her, praises Cadmos's beauty and suggests he may be a god.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 5.122–228Book 5: Harmonia's necklace; the children of CadmosThe gods bring wedding gifts, and Aphrodite gives Harmonia a serpent-shaped necklace that Hephaistos had made. Harmonia bears four daughters, Autonoe, Ino, Agaue and Semele, and a son, Polydoros. Cadmos gives Autonoe to Aristaios.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 3.0–130Book 3: Cadmos sails to Samothrace; Peitho leads himWith spring Cadmos puts to sea with his men and lands at a harbour, where the Corybants' dancing wakes the camp at dawn. As he goes toward Harmonia's house Peitho meets him in the form of a woman and wraps him in mist. A crow reproaches him for dawdling and predicts his wedding.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 3.319–444Book 3: Electra consoles Cadmos; Hermes asks for HarmoniaElectra consoles Cadmos, speaking of her own sisters and her son's absence, and advises him to settle abroad as Dardanos and Byzas did. The poet tells how Harmonia, Aphrodite's child by Ares, was brought up beside Emathion. Hermes enters unseen in the form of a youth and asks Electra on Zeus's behalf to give Harmonia to Cadmos.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 4.206–248Book 4: Electra gives Harmonia; the voyage beginsElectra hands Harmonia over to Cadmos with an old servant to guide them to the sea. Selene, seeing the girl on the shore, rebukes Aphrodite for sending her own child into such wandering. Cadmos puts to sea with his companions, and a passenger who sees the pair remarks that the sailor looks like Love himself.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 13.309–392Book 13: Sicilians and Libyans; Psyllos and the windsAchates leads the Sicilians, with Phaunos, a son of Circe. The poet tells how Cadmos and Harmonia once lived in Libya and defended it against the Maurians. The Libyans come under Crataigonos, after Psyllos, who made war on the south wind, was drowned with his fleet.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 4.106–205Book 4: Peisinoe's persuasion; Harmonia leaves her homePeisinoe goes on praising Cadmos and pretends to be in love with him herself, offering to serve them both as a maid. Harmonia, stung with desire, changes her mind, and takes tearful leave of her mother, her brother and the rooms of her home.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 41.212–337Book 41: Beroe's upbringing; Aphrodite seeks Harmonia's counselBeroe is nursed by Astraia on statutes and honey, and Zeus and Poseidon both desire her, though Zeus yields her to his brother. Aphrodite, seeing the great cities of old, resolves to make a city for Beroe worthy of Law. She visits Harmonia, who is weaving a cosmic robe, and asks which city is to be given the rule of justice.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 41.338–427Book 41: The tablets of Ophion; Aphrodite urges Eros to strike the godsHarmonia shows Aphrodite seven planetary tablets of fate, and that of Cronos declares Beroe the first city, later to be called Berytos by the Romans. Another tablet foretells the inventions of music, calendars, letters and law, and a third says that under Augustus Berytos will give the world its law. Aphrodite then coaxes Eros to shoot Poseidon and Dionysos for his sister's sake, promising him Harmonia's golden harp.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 46.265–369Book 46: Agaue's lament; Dionysos leaves Thebes for AthensDionysos restores Agaue's senses, and she mourns over Pentheus's head, cursing her sanity and calling herself a child-murderer. Pentheus is buried, and Dionysos gives the mourners a drink of forgetfulness and sends Cadmos and Harmonia wandering west towards their fate as stone snakes. He then goes in procession to Athens.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 5.0–121Book 5: Cadmos founds Thebes and its seven gatesCadmos sacrifices the cow to Athena, fights the neighbouring peoples and lays out the city of Thebes with seven gates named for the seven planets. Harmonia's wedding is celebrated with dances, music and the gods' attendance, and Zeus sits at the same table as Cadmos.
Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 46.210–264Book 46: Agaue kills Pentheus and shows his head to CadmosThe women tear Pentheus apart, and Agaue, believing him a lion, cuts off his head and carries it in triumph to Cadmos, boasting of her kill. Cadmos laments over her words, tells her that she holds her own son, and curses Cithaeron and Dionysos for the ruin of his family.

5 more passages of Nonnus of Panopolis that name Harmonia