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Greek Mythology Notes

Oenone

🌿 nymphΟἰνώνη
healing, prophecy
Oenone

Mountain nymph of Mount Ida who was Paris's first wife before Helen.‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‌​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‍​‌​‌​‌​‍​‌​‍​‌

The Myth of Oenone

Oenone, a nymph of Mount Ida near Troy, was Paris's first wife, skilled in healing and prophecy she had learned from Apollo.‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‌​‌​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‍​‌​‍​‍​‍​‍​‌​‌​‌​‍​‌​‍​‌ When Paris sailed to Sparta and abducted Helen — choosing Aphrodite's bribe over the gifts of Hera and Athena — Oenone warned that it would destroy Troy. Paris abandoned her. Years into the Trojan War, when Paris was mortally wounded by Philoctetes's arrow, he was carried to Oenone begging for her healing. She refused. By the time she relented, Paris was dead. Overcome with grief, Oenone threw herself onto his funeral pyre. Her story embodied the cost of Paris's judgment, the tragedy that rippled outward from one act of hubris.

Parents

Cebren (river god)

Symbols

healing herbsMount Ida

Fun Fact

Oenone represents the road not taken — ancient writers used her story to argue that the entire Trojan War could have been avoided had Paris stayed faithful.

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