Iole in the ancient sources

Ancient Sources / Figures / Iole

11 passages from 6 ancient authors that tell of Iole, in the original with English translation, author by author in the order the Greeks read them. Iole was the daughter of the king of Oechalia, Eurytus, in Greek mythology. When she came of age to get married, her father organised an archery conte... For the story in one place, read our article on Iole.

Apollodorus (2)

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.
Apollodorus, The Library (Bibliotheca), with the Epitome 2.7.1–8Heracles' wars, Deianira and the death of HeraclesHera's storms drive Heracles to Cos on his way back from Troy, and he then fights beside the gods against the Giants. He campaigns against Augeas and the Molionides in Elis, against Pylos and against Hippocoon in Sparta, and fathers Telephus by Auge. He wins Deianira from Achelous and kills the centaur Nessus at the Evenus; after taking Oechalia, he puts on the robe stained with Nessus's blood and burns on Mount Oeta, rising to heaven and marrying Hebe. The section ends with a long list of his children, among them his sons by the daughters of Thespius.

Sophocles (2)

Sophocles, Women of Trachis 335–430Second episode (cont.): the Messenger exposes LichasThe Messenger stops Deianeira from going in and tells her that Lichas has been lying. He says that he heard Lichas declare in public that Heracles destroyed the city of Eurytus for love of the girl, who is Iole, Eurytus' daughter. Deianeira is shocked, and when she questions Lichas he says that the girl is a Euboean of unknown birth, and denies that he ever said otherwise.
Sophocles, Women of Trachis 1193–1278Exodos (cont.): the pyre on Oeta; Heracles' last commandsHeracles orders Hyllus to carry him to Oeta and to lay him on a pyre, and Hyllus, who refuses to light the pyre himself, finally agrees to everything. Heracles also orders him to marry Iole, and Hyllus, who blames her for his mother's death, resists but gives way. As the attendants lift Heracles, Hyllus laments the cruelty of the gods and tells the Chorus that in all this there is nothing that is not Zeus.

Euripides (1)

Euripides, Hippolytus 525–579First choral song to Love; Phaedra listens at the doorThe Chorus sings to Love, who from the eyes brings sweet desire to the souls of those he attacks, and prays that he may not come against them in anger. It recalls Iole and Semele as victims of Aphrodite. Phaedra, standing at the door, tells the women to be silent and listens to the sounds from within the house, and the Chorus asks what mischief is on foot.

Diodorus Siculus (2)

Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 4.36.1–4.39.4The death of HeraclesHeracles takes the field with the Calydonians against the Thesprotians and, after he kills a serving boy by accident, goes into exile with Deïaneira. At the river Euenus the centaur Nessus attacks her; dying, he gives her a charm, and years later she uses it on a robe to win Heracles back from Iole. The robe consumes Heracles, who has himself burned on a pyre on Mount Oeta; the section closes with the honours paid to him as hero and god.
Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, Books 4 to 6 (the Greek myths) 4.31.1–4.33.12Heracles: servitude, Troy, Elis and SpartaAfter his labours Heracles gives Megara to Iolaüs and asks for Iole, daughter of Eurytus; he is refused, falls ill, and is told by Apollo to be sold as a slave to pay the sons of Iphitus. He then makes war on Laomedon at Troy and gives the kingdom to Priam, fights Augeas and the Eleans, and defeats the sons of Hippocoön at Sparta, restoring Tyndareüs. The section ends with Augê's secret child.

Ovid (3)

Ovid, Metamorphoses 9.273–321Alcmene and GalanthisEurystheus still pursues the sons of Heracles (Hercules), and Alcmene, his aged mother, tells Iole of the difficulty of his birth, which Hera (Juno) tried to hinder by having Lucina (Eileithyia) sit with her hands clasped before the door. Galanthis, her maid, deceived the goddess by crying that the child was born, and Lucina, in surprise, let go. Galanthis, laughing at the goddess, was turned into a weasel.
Ovid, Metamorphoses 9.322–412Dryope and IolausIole tells of her sister Dryope, who plucked a lotus blossom, not knowing that it was the nymph Lotis, and who began to turn into a tree. Dryope was turned into a lotus as her husband and father looked on, and begged them to let her child play in the shade. Iolaus, Heracles' nephew, grown old, is made young again by Hebe, and Themis prophesies the coming of other prodigies.
Ovid, Metamorphoses 9.98–272Nessus and the death of HeraclesHeracles (Hercules), returning with Deianira, crosses the river Evenus, where the centaur Nessus offers to carry her across and tries to take her. Heracles shoots him with an arrow dipped in the hydra's poison, and the dying Nessus gives Deianira his blood-stained tunic as a love-charm. Years later, jealous of Iole, she sends the tunic to Heracles, who is burned by the poison, and tears at his flesh, and is raised to the sky from a funeral pyre on Mount Oeta.

Bacchylides (1)

Bacchylides, Dithyrambs 15.1–16.35Dithyrambs 15–16: the sons of Antenor; Heracles and DeianeiraTheano, priestess of Athena, opens the temple doors to the Greek envoys Odysseus and Menelaus, and the sons of Antenor lead them to the Trojan assembly, where Menelaus speaks of Insolence and Justice. In the next song the poet prays to Apollo, and sings how Heracles, after burning Oechalia, sacrifices at the cape of Cenaean Zeus. A god then weaves a cruel device for Deianeira when she learns that Iole is to come to the house as a bride, and she takes the fatal gift of Nessus.