Hesione in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Hesione

5 passages from 4 ancient authors that tell of Hesione, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Hesione was a name given to various figures in Greek mythology, but the best known is a princess of Troy. She was the daughter of King Laomedon, and s... For the story in one place, read our article on Hesione.

Apollodorus (2)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 2.5.7–10The Labours of Heracles (7-10): the Cretan Bull to Geryon's CattleHeracles brings the Cretan bull to Mycenae and takes the man-eating mares of Diomedes of Thrace, founding Abdera. For the belt of Hippolyte he sails to the Amazons, kills her after Hera stirs up trouble, and on the way home saves Hesione from the sea monster at Troy, which Laomedon will not pay for. For the tenth labour he crosses to Erytheia, kills Geryon and his herdsman and dog, and drives the cattle home through Italy and Sicily, wrestling Eryx and enduring Hera's gadfly.
Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 2.6.1–4Heracles, Iphitus and OmphaleAfter the labours Heracles wins the archery contest for Iole but is refused, and later, in a fresh fit of madness, throws Iphitus from the walls of Tiryns. Struck with disease, he tries to carry off the Delphic tripod, and is told to be sold into slavery for three years; he serves Omphale of Lydia, binds the Cercopes and kills Syleus. Afterwards he sails against Troy, sacks it and kills Laomedon, and Telamon gets Hesione, whose brother Podarces is ransomed and renamed Priam.

Aeschylus (1)

Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 526–608Second stasimon: the Chorus' warning; Io arrivesThe Chorus pray never to oppose Zeus, and warn Prometheus that he has honoured mortals too much, and they remember the song they sang at his marriage to their sister Hesione. Io, a maiden with the horns of a cow, enters in frenzy, driven by the gadfly that Hera sent after her. She asks who is chained to the rock, and Prometheus recognises her as the daughter of Inachus, and she begs him to say who he is and what suffering awaits her.

Diodorus Siculus (1)

Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 4.40.1–4.44.7The Argonauts I: Jason and the voyage to PhineusJason, nephew of Pelias, has a great ship built on Mount Pelion and gathers the chiefs of Greece, with Heracles among them. On the way they rescue Hesione at Sigeium, come through a storm thanks to Orpheus' prayers to the gods of Samothrace, and reach Phineus, whose sons are freed by the Boreadae and Heracles. They then put in on the coast of the Tauric Chersonese, where strangers are sacrificed to Artemis.

Ovid (1)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 11.194–265Laomedon and Hesione; Peleus and ThetisApollo and Poseidon (Neptune) build the walls of Troy for King Laomedon, who cheats them of their pay, and Poseidon sends a sea-monster, to which Hesione is exposed, until Heracles (Hercules) saves her. Laomedon again breaks his word, and Heracles takes the city. Peleus marries the sea-goddess Thetis after he holds her through all her changes of shape, and she bears Achilles.