THE SEER THEONOE IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY

​Theonoe was a female seer of Egypt, who appears in a tale written by Euripides; a play called Helen, that told of a different version of events linked to the Trojan War. 

The Seer Theonoe

​Helen, by Euripides, uses many familiar names, but not their mythology is not always the same as most other sources; and the play itself tells a tale of how Helen of Sparta, was never in Troy.

Theonoe was the daughter of King Proteus of Egypt, and the Nereid Psamathe; and thus brother to Theoclymneus. Theonoe was noted for her prophetic abilities.; and indeed her name can be translated as “divine wisdom”. 

Proteus had given sanctuary to Helen, after she had been whisked away from Sparta by the gods; Helen having been replaced by a phantom duplicate, which had been abducted by Paris. 

Theoclymneus had succeeded his father as king of Egypt, and now sought to make Helen his wife; a rumour was being spread that Menelaus had died during the Trojan War. 

Helen had no desire to wed Theoclymneus, nor did she believe that her husband was dead, and so she sought the insight of Theonoe. Theonoe was able to divine that Menelaus was alive.

Shortly afterwards, Menelaus’ ship was blown off course, on its return journey from Troy. Landing in Egypt, Menelaus and Helen were reunited, without the knowledge of Theoclymneus. Theonoe would help the pair escape together; for it was said that Theonoe had fallen in love with Canopus (Canobus), the pilot of Menelaus’ ship, but that her love was unrequited. 

​Theoclymneus was angry that Theonoe had not revealed to him that Menelaus was alive, and so the king of Egypt imprisoned his own sister, sentencing her to death, 

Theonoe though was saved by the intervention of the Dioscuri, Castor and Pollox, who perhaps came to Theoclymneus in a dream, and so Theonoe was saved. 

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Colin Quartermain - Theonoe - 31st August 2025