ARCE IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Arce was a minor goddess who appears in tales of Greek mythology, with Arce acting as a messenger goddess.
Arce Daughter of Thaumas
Arce appears in a single surviving source, the New History, ascribed by Photius to Ptolemy Hephaestion. It was here said that Arce was the daughter of the sea-god Thaumas and the Oceanid Electra, this makes Arce sister to Iris and the Harpies.
Arce the Messenger
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Arce comes to prominence during the Titanomachy, the war between the Titans and Olympians, when Zeus and his brothers rose up against the rule of Cronus.
Arce sided with the Titans, become the messenger of Cronus and the other Titan gods, as the war raged on. Of course, on the other side of the battlefield, Arce’s sister, Iris, took up a corresponding role, become the messenger goddess of Zeus. |
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The lost epic, the Titanomachy, ascribed to Eumelus of Corinth, names Ithax as the messenger of the Titans during the war, rather than Arce.
The Punishment of Arce
Zeus and his allies, of course, prevailed in the Titanomachy, and Arce was punished for the assistance that she had given to Zeus’ enemies. Thus, the daughter of Thaumas was thrown into Tartarus, the underworld prison that held many of the enemies of Zeus. As an additional punishment, Arce was also stripped of her wings.
Zeus kept hold of Arce’s wings until the wedding of Peleus and Thetis took place, at which point, Zeus presented them as a wedding gift to Thetis. Some then say, that Thetis affixed Arce’s wings to the feet of her, and Peleus’ son, Achilles.
Zeus kept hold of Arce’s wings until the wedding of Peleus and Thetis took place, at which point, Zeus presented them as a wedding gift to Thetis. Some then say, that Thetis affixed Arce’s wings to the feet of her, and Peleus’ son, Achilles.
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Colin Quartermain - Arce - 12th September 2021