Icarius
A legendary king of Sparta and father of Penelope who tried to prevent his daughter from leaving with Odysseus after her marriage
The Legend of Icarius
Icarius was the son of Perieres (or Oebalus in some traditions) and the brother of Tyndareus, king of Sparta. He is best known as the father of Penelope, the faithful wife of Odysseus. When Odysseus came to Sparta and won Penelope as his bride — either by contest or by arrangement — Icarius was reluctant to let his daughter leave. He followed the departing couple's chariot and begged Penelope to stay. Odysseus turned to his bride and told her to choose: come with him to Ithaca or return to her father. Penelope said nothing but lowered her veil in modesty, signalling her acceptance of her husband. Icarius, recognising her decision, raised a statue on the spot in honour of Modesty. In another, darker tradition, Icarius is associated with the introduction of wine to Attica. Dionysus taught Icarius the art of winemaking, and when Icarius shared wine with local shepherds, they became drunk and, believing themselves poisoned, murdered him. His daughter Erigone found his body and hanged herself in grief, and his faithful dog Maera died of sorrow.
Parents
Perieres
Children
Penelope
Symbols
Fun Fact
There are two distinct figures named Icarius in Greek myth — one the father of Penelope and the other a tragic winemaker murdered by the first people to taste wine
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