IOLE IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
Iole was a woman in Greek mythology associated with the Greek hero Heracles, for once Iole was promised to Heracles, and although they never married, Iole would ultimately be the cause of Heracles’ demise.
Iole Daughter of Eurytus
Iole was a princess of Oechalia, for she was the daughter of King Eurytus and Queen Antioche; making Iole brother to Clytius, Iphitus, Molion and Toxeus.
The Contest for Iole
|
Iole would grow up to become a beautiful woman, and when of age, Eurytus sought to find her a worthy husband.
Eurytus therefore decided to only marry Iole to someone who could best him and his sons in an archery contest. This would prove to be no easy feat for Eurytus was the grandson of Apollo, and had inherited a great prowess with the bow from the god. Suitors came from far and wide to compete for the hand of iole, and yet none could come close to beating Eurytus and his sons. Heracles heard about the contest though, and knowing of the beauty of Iole decided to compete for her. Heracles RefusedSome tell of how Eurytus had years earlier trained Heracles in the art of archery, but if this was the case, then the skill of the student far exceeded that of the teacher, for the arrows of Heracles flew truer than those of Eurytus and his sons.
When, however, Heracles came to accept his prize, Eurytus refused to allow Iole to marry Heracles, despite the protestations of his son Iphitus. It was generally said that Eurytus refuse to allow Iole to go with Heracles for he feared that the fate of Megara, Heracles’ first wife, awaited his daughter if he did. |
|
Heracles Returns
An angry Heracles would leave Oechalia, and some time afterwards he married Deianira, the princess of Calydon.
Heracles never forgot the insult of Eurytus though, and Heracles would later lead an army against Oechalia to have his revenge. Oechalia quickly fell to Heracles, and Eurytus and his surviving sons were put to the sword by the demi-god.
Some tell of how Iole attempted to kill herself by throwing herself off of the city walls of Oechalia, but was prevented from doing so by Heracles, or else her dress acted as a parachute preventing her from coming to harm. In either case, the very much alive Iole was taken by Heracles to become his concubine.
Heracles never forgot the insult of Eurytus though, and Heracles would later lead an army against Oechalia to have his revenge. Oechalia quickly fell to Heracles, and Eurytus and his surviving sons were put to the sword by the demi-god.
Some tell of how Iole attempted to kill herself by throwing herself off of the city walls of Oechalia, but was prevented from doing so by Heracles, or else her dress acted as a parachute preventing her from coming to harm. In either case, the very much alive Iole was taken by Heracles to become his concubine.
The Fear of Deianira
|
This act though, caused Deianira great concern, for she feared that her husband would now leave her for Iole. It was then Deianira remembered the love potion that she had been given by the centaur Nessus. Deianira covered a cloak in the potion and had it given to Heracles, the love potion though was a poisonous mixture of the centaur’s blood and the poison of the Lernaean Hydra, and as Heracles put on the cloak so he himself was poisoned, and would ultimately cause him to die.
|
|
Iole Weds Hyllus
Before Heracles died though, the demi-god asked Hyllus, his eldest son by Deianira, to marry his concubine so that she would be cared for.
Hyllus was the leader of the Heraclides after the death of his father, and Iole would bear him two children, a son called Cleodaeus, and a daughter called Evaechme.
Hyllus was the leader of the Heraclides after the death of his father, and Iole would bear him two children, a son called Cleodaeus, and a daughter called Evaechme.
|
|