Io in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Io

12 passages from 7 ancient authors that tell of Io, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Io was the princess of Argos, who Zeus fell in love with. To try to keep Hera from noticing, he covered the world with a thick blanket of clouds. Howe... For the story in one place, read our article on Io.

Hesiod (1)

Hesiod, Fragments 5.1–6AegimiusThe Aegimius, attributed to Hesiod or to Cercops of Miletus, is cited for Thetis and her children and for Phrixus coming to the halls of Aeétes. It also gives the story of Io, whom Zeus changed into a cow and whom Hera set Argus to watch, until Hermes killed him.

Apollodorus (1)

Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 2.1.1–5Inachus, Io and the DanaidsThe line of Inachus of Argos runs through Phoroneus and Apis to Argus the All-seeing, whom Hermes kills while he guards Io, whom Zeus has turned into a cow. Io wanders to Egypt and bears Epaphus, whose descendants include the twins Belus and Agenor. Belus's twin sons Aegyptus and Danaus quarrel over the kingdom, Danaus flees to Argos with his fifty daughters, and they are married to Aegyptus's sons and kill them on the wedding night, all but Hypermnestra, who spares Lynceus.

Aeschylus (5)

Aeschylus, Suppliants 524–599First stasimon: the prayer to ZeusThe Chorus call on Zeus, most blessed of the blessed, to look down on his offspring and to drive the lust of their cousins into the sea. They recall the sufferings of Io and her restoration by Zeus, and they pray that the god, who needs no effort to carry out his will, will help them as well.
Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 687–785Second episode (cont.): the wanderings of Io (1)The Chorus is shocked by the tale, and Prometheus tells Io the course of her wanderings: east across the plains of the Scythians, past the Chalybes, to the Caucasus, to the Amazons and the Cimmerian strait. Io asks why she should not kill herself, and Prometheus tells her that he is tormented without hope of dying, and that Zeus himself will be thrown from his sovereignty by a marriage that he will make, a secret that he refuses to disclose. He offers Io the choice of hearing the rest of her wanderings or the name of his deliverer.
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.
Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 609–686Second episode: Io tells her storyPrometheus tells Io who he is, that he gave fire to mankind, and that Zeus and Hephaestus bound him, but he will not say why he is punished. At the Chorus' urging she tells how dreams urged her to go to the meadow of Lerna to meet Zeus, how her father Inachus received oracles that told him to cast her out, and how she was changed into a cow and pursued by Argus and by the gadfly.
Aeschylus, Prometheus Bound 786–876Second episode (cont.): the wanderings of Io (2) and her descendantsPrometheus goes on to tell Io of the rest of her way: across to Asia, to the Gorgons and the daughters of Phorcys, and then to the Nile, where Zeus will restore her to her senses and she will bear Epaphus. He foretells that the fifty daughters of one of her descendants will come back to Argos and that all but one will kill their husbands. From the one who spares her husband will come a bold archer who will free Prometheus.

Diodorus Siculus (1)

Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 5.60.1–5.63.3The Cherronesus and the sanctuary of HemitheaThe historian turns to the Cherronesus opposite Rhodes, where Triopas was purified of his brother's murder, and then tells how the daughters of Staphylus were rescued by Apollo. One of them, honoured as Hemithea, came to have the great temple at Castabus.

Ovid (2)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 1.568–688Io and ArgusThe river gods come to console Peneus for the loss of Daphne, except Inachus, who is mourning his daughter Io. Zeus (Jupiter, 'Jove' in More's translation) takes Io under a cloud, and when Hera (Juno) comes down to look he turns Io into a white heifer. Hera asks for the heifer as a gift and sets the hundred-eyed Argus to watch her, and Io writes her name in the dust with her hoof to tell her father Inachus who she is. Zeus sends Hermes (Mercury), disguised as a shepherd, who plays on his pipe and begins to tell the story of Syrinx.
Ovid, Metamorphoses 1.689–746Pan and Syrinx; the death of ArgusHermes (Mercury) tells how the nymph Syrinx fled from Pan to the river Ladon and was turned into reeds, from which Pan made his pipes. Argus falls asleep and Hermes kills him, and Hera (Juno) sets his eyes in the tail of the peacock. She then torments Io until Zeus (Jupiter) promises to leave her alone, and Io is restored to her old shape.

Pausanias (1)

Pausanias, Description of Greece 1.25.1–8Athens Acropolis: statues of Pericles and Anacreon; the Lamian War and the tyrantsStatues on the Acropolis include Xanthippus, Pericles and Anacreon, Io and Callisto, and the small groups dedicated by Attalus showing the Giants, Amazons, Marathon and the Gauls. Pausanias then recounts the aftermath of Chaeronea and the Lamian War under Leosthenes, the Macedonian garrisons, Cassander’s tyrants Demetrius of Phalerum and Lachares, and Demetrius son of Antigonus fortifying the Museum hill.

Nonnus of Panopolis (1)

Nonnus of Panopolis, Dionysiaca 3.216–318Book 3: Dardanos and the flood; Cadmos tells his lineageAfter the third flood Dardanos reaches Ida, and Emathion receives Cadmos at a rich table with the music of Corybantic pipes. Questioned by Electra, Cadmos traces his descent from Io and Epaphos through Belos to his father Agenor, and tells how Europa was carried off by the bull and he was sent to find her.