Ino
heroTheban princess who raised the infant Dionysus, was driven mad by Hera, and leaped into the sea to become the goddess Leucothea.
The Myth
Hera drove her so mad she boiled her own son — then she jumped into the sea and became a goddess. Ino was the second wife of Athamas and agreed to nurse the infant Dionysus in disguise. Hera punished her for this by driving both Ino and Athamas insane. Athamas killed their son Learchus, and Ino threw herself into the sea with their other son Melicertes. Instead of dying, both were transformed: Ino became the sea goddess Leucothea, and Melicertes became the marine god Palaemon. Leucothea later saved Odysseus from drowning by lending him her veil. The Isthmian Games were said to have been founded in honor of Palaemon.
Children
Learchus, Melicertes
Symbols
Explore Further
Cadmus
heroCadmus was the Phoenician prince who founded Thebes, sowed dragon's teeth, and brought the alphabet...
Cadmus and the Spartoi
heroThe Phoenician prince who founded Thebes and introduced the Greek alphabet, whose sowing of dragon...
Leucothea
godSea goddess who rescued drowning sailors, formerly the mortal princess Ino.
Harmonia
godHarmonia was the goddess of harmony and concord, daughter of Ares and Aphrodite, whose wedding...
Isthmian Games
conceptOne of the four Panhellenic Games held at Corinth every two years in honour of Poseidon, with...
Melicertes
godSon of Ino who was transformed into the marine god Palaemon after his mother leaped with him into...
Palaemon
godGod of harbours and patron of the Isthmian Games, originally the mortal child Melicertes.
Odysseus
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Odysseus (Trickster)
heroOdysseus was the most cunning of all Greek heroes — the man of polytropos (many turns), whose...
Helle
heroDaughter of Athamas who fell from the golden ram into the strait that bears her name — the...
Pentheus (King)
heroKing of Thebes who denied Dionysus's divinity and was torn apart by his own mother and aunts in a...
Phrixus
heroSon of Athamas who rode the golden ram to Colchis, sacrificed it, and gave its fleece to King...