#amphithea

[mushyooms]

hunting on mount parnassus

[wolfythewitch]

the royal family,,,

[blended-ice]

could you draw Amphithea?

Worlds coolest grandma

[kitcatia]

A good while ago I wrote a bunch of headcanons about Odysseus' mom Anticlea and her relationship to Hermes (her grandfather) for @lonely-linn and I just realized I never posted it here? so I'm going to post them here and hope people like them. OK SO

Anticlea was Autolycus' youngest daughter I:[1]. Amphithea’s pregnancy was a pretty rocky one, given she was already on the older side of things, but thankfully Anticlea was born alive and well.

She was born princess to the Thief King of Parnassus, and her birth was celebrated with great joy all over their kingdom.

She was named “Anticlea”, “without fame”, because her parents wished she’d live a peaceful, uneventful life in peaceful, uneventful times.

Hermes was honestly touched when he got to hold Anticlea for the first time. He didn't cry though. It wouldn't have been proper to shed tears over something like this. Not for a god. Not for a god like him.

He truly wasn't the most present of fathers to Autolycus II: 2][3][4][5][6][7]. I mean, he did train his son in all the arts of thievery and trickery but, still. His father is Zeus. You can't convince me his parenting wasn't at least a little bit dysfunctional. To Autolycus, Hermes always felt more like a patron god than a father. And he simply accepted that this was just the nature of his relationship with his father and that there is no way it could or should have been different. So, even though Autolycus and Hermes were on decent enough terms, Hermes was a bit surprised to hear Autolycus actually wanted to introduce the newborn girl to him. 

Anticlea was a very frail and weak baby. Very quiet, didn't cry a lot, slept for longer periods of time than normal (even for newborn babies that famously sleep a lot). Amphithea and her wet nurses struggled immensely to breastfeed her. Everyone was afraid she wouldn’t make it her first year.

Sometimes Hermes would hover over her cradle and watch her sleep. And, when she was awake, he would talk to her. Just, rant about anything that came to his mind. She would follow him with her eyes, eyes that looked so much like Autolycus’. They looked like Hermes’ too, but they wouldn’t know that, because Hermes hardly ever lets anyone see his eyes. She would watch him, confused, trying to understand what this strange man was attempting to share with her.

As time passed, her health improved and she grew less apathetic everyday. More responsive. When she laughed for the first time, her laughter sounded like Hermes'. His visits became gradually less frequent.

Despite being raised to be a proper lady, Anticlea always had something of a wilder side, and both Amphithea and Autolycus respected that. You can’t convince me Autolycus didn’t teach her at least some of his thievery skills!

Amphithea taught Anticlea everything there is to know about wild animals, plants, flowers and medicinal herbs. Amphithea doesn’t talk much about her past, and Anticlea was always left to wonder about the kinds of places to which her mother’s eyes would wander every time she tried asking where she had been taught all these amazing things III: [8][9].

Hermes never fully stopped paying visits to Autolycus and Anticlea. He'd mostly play pranks on her, coming by in ways supposed to be imperceptible to check if she could see through his tricks, and encouraging her to try to sneak up on him. With time, she got very good at it, but she never truly managed to catch him by surprise.

He’d bring her some gifts as well, from all the amazing places he’d travel to, and she’d keep all of these trinkets in a box and wonder if she’d ever get the chance to visit those places herself. 

Anticlea learned about the Hunters of Artemis as a preteen and was instantly in love with the idea of becoming one of them. The notion of joining the Virgin Goddess of the Hunt, being young forever and getting to go anywhere with nothing holding you back? What was there to not like about this opportunity?

Autolycus would have. Very complicated feelings about letting his daughter make this choice. I think he'd hold some sort of resentment against Artemis, given she is the goddess responsible for his mother’s death IIII: [4][5][6][10][11]. Amphithea also has complicated feelings about gods in general, so Anticlea wouldn't really find a lot of support about this particular decision in her parents. She wanted to join Artemis from the bottom of her heart, but she loved and respected her parents too much, and wouldn’t go against their judgment.

After some form of unprecedented inciting incident which will remain unspecified because Sisyphus V: [6][12] isn’t worth the breath it takes to say his name (SISYPHUS YOU BITCH WHEN I FUCKING CATCH YOU-), Anticlea did end up going against her parents' judgment. It was a decision made in the spur of the moment, taken when Anticlea felt like she had no other choice. So she did it. She sneaked out of their palace in the dead of night. Of course she did. She learned from the best. She met Artemis in the woods and joined her entourage.

Hermes watched it all. He could have stopped her, but chose not to VI: [13].

Hermes low-key shoveltalked Artemis and demanded his half-sister take good care of his granddaughter. If you asked her, Artemis would attest she had never seen Hermes talking about something so seriously before in the entirety of their immortal lives.

Autolycus and Hermes would probably go back to being on bad terms for a while if Autolycus ever found out about Hermes’ omission.

Anticlea was the sneakiest amongst the hunters. There were better trackers and better archers, but she was able to sneak up on anyone she wanted, and no one could catch her off guard. She was great at pranks and pickpocketing and Artemis loved her so very dearly for that. She’s one of the few people known to have made Artemis laugh VII: [14].

She was good friends with Atalanta during this period VIII: [14][15]. Atalanta had taken purity vows but she wasn’t specifically a part of Artemis’ posse, prefering to live amongst civilization, winning her glory amongst men. She still found time to vibe with the posse though, and she was adored by all of them. Anticlea would love Atalanta’s stories and Atalanta would love Anticlea’s tricks and her sense of humor.

After the Argonautica VIIII: [3][18][19], Atalanta became good buddies with Laertes X: [3], son of King Arcesius XI: [20][21][22] and Queen Chalcomedusa XII: [23], prince of Ithaca. Eventually, Anticlea ended up meeting him, and they immediately hit it off.

Anticlea fell in love with Laertes. Of course she did. He was brave and intelligent and kind and, oh, Cruel Eros! Cruel Aphrodite! They loved toying with the hearts of the ones that chose to accompany Artemis, they loved seeing them meet gruesome ends for breaking their vows. Anticlea knew what happened to those who insulted Artemis. Her poor grandmother Chione XIII: [4][5][6][10][11] was shot through the tongue and bled to death for the slight of boasting her beauty as being greater than Artemis’. What would happen to her, if she chose to abandon everything the Hunters stood for? Artemis loved her. If that love were to turn to hatred, what terrible fate would fall upon her?

And in her moment of need, Anticlea turned to the god that had always been by her side. The god of tricksters and traders. The only one that could help her find a way out of this dreadful predicament.

Anticlea begged Hermes to help her figure out a way to leave the hunters to marry Laertes without upsetting Artemis or getting herself cursed. Somehow (that part I still need to figure out), Hermes sorted that one out for her. She was now free from her obligations to the goddess and free to marry the man she had fallen in love with. 

Hermes also helped her reconcile with Autolycus and get him to bless her union with Laertes. The ceremony was held in Parnassus, and the bride and groom moved to Ithaca as soon as the celebration was over.

The women of this family have always had complicated times with their babies, and a pbittersweet falling out with a goddess of midwifery, childbirth and fertility does not do wonders for your chances at getting pregnant XIIII: [24]. Laertes and Anticlea took a long time to manage to have a child. I mean, Odysseus was going to be named “Polyaretos” after all, which means “much prayed for”, before Autolycus swooped in and named him “Odysseus”, which basically means “wrath-bringer” XV: [25].

Hermes was overjoyed to meet Odysseus too! This time around, he wasn’t too surprised Anticlea wanted to introduce him to the newborn boy. When Anticlea let him hold the baby, Hermes noticed how much he looked like baby Anticlea, maybe just a bit less frail and pale than she was. He was sturdier, and his hair was like Laertes’.  While his eyes probably welled up, I do believe he managed to hold back his tears. Anticlea however did not.

Hermes watched as Odysseus got older. As Anticlea taught him how to use the bow just like she learned from Artemis. As Laertes taught him the names of all the trees that would one day be his XVI: [26]. As he hunted that boar with Autolycus and got scarred in the thigh by it. As Amphithea cupped his cheeks with her hands and took care of his injuries XVII: [8}. 

He watched as Athena made him train until his bones shattered. As his father resigned the throne and as he became king of Ithaca. He watched as he sailed off to try to marry Helen and as he fell in love with Penelope instead XVIII: [27]. He watched as Odysseus suggested to Tyndareus the oath that would force him and all of the Achaean kings to go to war in case Helen’s marriage was threatened. As he suggested an oath of that sort, on the off chance it might gain him the favor of the father of the girl he wished to marry. How could you expect something different? This family has always done unbelievable things for the ones they love.

He watched as he won the foot race for Penelope's hand. How could he not have won? It was a foot race XVIIII: [28], and he is Hermes' greatgrandson after all. Hermes watched as Odysseus came back to Ithaca, married to a woman he loved with his whole soul.

Hermes didn’t get to hold Telemachus in his arms. That honor was given to his half-sister XX: [29]. But he watched as she held that frail little thing in her arms, just like he had done in the times this opportunity had been given to him. In his heart, he wondered if Athena was even able to understand how big a privilege this was. It didn’t trouble him though. She would understand. In time, she would.

Hermes watched as news of a kidnapping started to spread, and as the oath was called upon. He watched as Odysseus attempted to pretend to be insane to avoid being drafted XXI: [30][31]. How could you expect something different? This family always tries to get out of their problems without needing to get their hands dirty or take direct action. Always attempts subterfuges. Always tries to avoid the oaths they took. And always fails XXII: [6].

He watched as Odysseus was forced to give up his ruse, as he diverted the plow to save his son XXI: [30][31]. Of course he would. Nothing and no one can stop this family from keeping their own safe and sound.

He watched As Odysseus petted Argos, held Telemachus in his arms and kissed Penelope one last time before sailing away with his 600 men.

He watched as the war dragged on for years and years. As Odysseus used all the knowledge and skill he had been bestowed with and kept each and every one of his men alive. 

And he watched her as Anticlea waited for Odysseus to come back. He would talk to her, just like he did when she was a baby. But as the years passed, she grew less responsive everyday. More apathetic. He'd watch her as she slept. Just like he did when she was a little baby. Until she fell asleep one day... and didn't wake up.

Well. That’s not actually true. She did wake up. And her grandfather was already there to greet her. What a lucky girl, flanked her whole life by a psychopomp XXIII: [32]. 

He took her by the hand, and gently guided her to Charon's boat. And as he watched her embark the ferry and sail off into the lands of Hades, Hermes couldn't stop the tears from pouring.

[sarafangirlart]

New Pelopia lore and art just dropped!

Also… the necklace… in the branch… hmmmm

[katerinaaqu]

On another note, what do we know about Amphithea, the mother of anticlea and grandmother of Odysseus? What does her name mean? Also, do we have anything on her ascendancy? Who are the women listed as the possible wives of autolycus? What do we know about them?

I can't find much on her I am afraid. She is mentioned only once in the Odyssey and she seems to be a very tender woman who embraces Odysseus and kisses him tenderly on his head and both his eyes. So we speak on a tender and welcoming woman at least as far as Odysseus visiting them is concerned. So she seems to love her grandson very much.

Now her name the way I see it can have multiple meanings. It can be "The One Who Sees Both Sides" or "The One of Round Vision" or daresay "The One Seen From All Sides" because her name comes from the term ἀμφί which stands for "both of" or sometimes "around" and the verb θεάομαι which stands for "to watch upon" or "to behold" [You can see at the word "amphitheater" for that, for instance]

Now depending on the source the name of Autolycus's wife changes or potenitally seen having other wives in the past. The names are apart from Amphithea, Naera (Νέαιρα) according to Pausanias or Mestra (Μήστρα) according to Ovid.

Not much is known for most of these figures. Naera for example is mentioned as the only child of Pereus of Argolis. Apollodorous and Tzetzes name some of her children (Auge who was also the mother of Telephus by Heracles, the argonaut Cepheus and Lycurgus of Tegea) but by a different husband so not the same myth series as Autolycus being her husband. I believe that Hyginus mentiones Naera as one of Autolycus's daughters instead.

I think Mestra has most context for she was the daughter of Erysichthon of Thessaly. According to Ovid's Metamorphosis Mestra had the power to change her form at will (Ovid claims that she had "Proteus's power) which she got as a gift by Poseidon after he had, in her own words "deprived her off her virginity" (so it seems that Poseidon forcefully claimed her and gave her this gift later after her own wish). Her father was cursed by some mad famine by Demeter (Ceres) for he had violently and arrogantly destroyed her trees especially a beloved to her oak (this myth seems to be also appearing to Callimachus's hymn to Demeter). So when Erysichthon woke from his sleep he was taken over by such a famine that was burning him inside. He was constantly demanding more food of different kinds to satisfy his cravings that never seemed to stop. This brought of course the poverty of his house and his kingdom He decided to exploit his daughter's power to transform to satisfy his hunger (also according to Tzetzes) so he would have her transform to an animal or something and then sell her off for more money for food and every time Mestra would come back and have the same thing happen over and over again until he couldn't do that anymore either. Ovid gives him a very grim end for when he is so hungry he cannot take it anymore he basically started eating himself by eating his own limbs away. Poseidon eventually carried her off to Cos where with him she had Eurypylus (According to Hesiod's catalogue of women if I am not mistaken from a fragment that we have.)

I also found some mention to the hesiodic catalogue of women that she was great-grand niece of Sisiphus who also wanted to marry her off to his son Glaucus but take this with a grain of salt.

This is from a quick search that I did. I hope that helps. By n large when associated with Autolycus, these women are mentioned as his wives and potential mothers of his children. He had seven sons but only the father of Sinon (the guy that was left as a witness outside the Trojan Horse in the Epic Cycle) Aesimus. Some of his daughters apart from Anticlea are Neera or Polymede who was mother to Jason of the Argonauts.

Wow what a rabbit hole though!

[floravaenus]

I don't know how reliable this source is but Pelopia comforting Amphithea 🥹

[floravaenus]

Yuri