Pandion
heroKing of Athens who married off his daughters Procne and Philomela, both of whom suffered terribly at the hands of Tereus.
The Myth
He gave his daughter to a man who would rape his other daughter — the most catastrophic marriage alliance in Athenian myth. Pandion, king of Athens, allied with Tereus of Thrace by giving him Procne as a wife. Years later, Procne wanted her sister Philomela to visit. Pandion entrusted Philomela to Tereus for the journey. Tereus raped Philomela, cut out her tongue, and imprisoned her. The chain of horror that followed — murder, cannibalism, transformation — all stems from Pandion's trust. He died of grief (in some versions) without learning the full truth. The Pandionid tribe of Athens was named for him, and two Athenian kings bore his name.
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Fun Fact
Two separate Athenian kings named Pandion appear in the king lists — scholars debate whether they are doublets of the same figure.
Explore Further
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Philomela
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Procne
heroAthenian princess married to Tereus who killed her own son Itys to avenge her sister Philomela's...
Tereus
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Tereus (King)
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Erichthonius Birth
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Erichthonius (Birth)
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Aegeus
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Athens
placeAthens was the city sacred to Athena, birthplace of democracy, philosophy, drama, and Western...
Pan
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