Queens, Mothers, and the Cost of Fate (Homer’s The Odyssey, Book 11 – Part 9)

Next to her I saw Alcmene, wife of Amphitryon, who lay in the arms of mighty Zeus, and bare Hercules of the lion heart, steadfast in the fight.

And I saw Megara, daughter of Creon, haughty of heart, whom the strong and tireless son of Amphitryon had to wife.

And I saw the mother of Oedipus, fair Epicaste, who wrought a dread deed unwittingly, being wedded to her own son, and he that slain his own father wedded her, and straightway the gods made these things known to men.

Yet he abode in pain in pleasant Thebes, ruling the Cadmeans, by reason of the deadly counsels of the gods.

But she went down to the house of Hades, the mighty warder; yea, she tied a noose from the high beam aloft, being fast holden in sorrow, while for him she left pains behind full many, even all that the avengers of a mother bring to pass.

And I saw lovely Chloris, whom Neleus wedded on a time for her beauty, and brought gifts of wooing past number.

She was the youngest daughter of Amphion, son of Iasus, who once ruled mightily in Minyan, or Cominus.

And she was the queen of Pylos, and bare glorious children to her lord, Nestor and Chromius, and princely Periclymenus, and stately Pero too, the wonder of all men.

All that dwelt round were her wooers; but Neleus would not give her, save to him who should drive off from Phylace the kine of mighty Iphicles, with shambling gait and broad of brow, hard cattle to drive.

And none but the nobler seer took in hand to drive them; but a grievous fate from the gods fettered him, even hard bonds and the herdsmen of the wild.

But when at length the months and days were being fulfilled, as the year returned upon his course, and the seasons came round, then did mighty Iphicles set him free, when he had spoken out all the oracles.

And herein was the counsel of Zeus being accomplished.