THEONOE OF MYCENAE IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY

Theonoe was the beautiful daughter of the seer Thestor, famous today due to the fact that she was kidnapped by pirates.

Theonoe Daughter of Thestor

Theonoe was the daughter of Thestor, and potentially Polymela; Theonoe thus had two brothers, Calchas and Theoclymneus, and a sister named Leucippe.

Theonoe Kidnapped

Theonoe would grow up in Mycenae but one day, when she was playing by the beach, Theonoe would be kidnapped by passing pirates. The pirates would transport Theonoe to Caria, where the daughter of Thestor was sold to King Icarus; and Theonoe would become one of the king’s concubines.

Theonoe Sought

Thestor would soon discover that one of his daughters was missing, and so he set out to find her, without having any idea where he was going. As was the way of such tales though, the ship by which Thestor was traversing the sea was caught in a storm, and was shipwrecked on the coast of Caria. As a foreigner Thestor was captured and placed in servitude with in the palace of Icarus.

Years would pass, but the lives of Theonoe and Thestor seemed not to cross, for both were seemingly unaware of the other’s presence in the palace of Icarus.

Eventually, Leucippe, the sister of Theonoe, also arrived in Caria; Leucippe having disguised herself as a male priest of Apollo, as she sought her missing father and sister. Theonoe spied the handsome priest, and instantly fell in love with him, but the advances of Theonoe were not reciprocated.

Theonoe in Danger

Theonoe, believing that she had been slighted by the rejection, sent word to the servants, that the priest was to be killed. The task would fall to Theonoe’s father, Thestor. Thestor would go to the room of the priest, but he was unwilling to kill an innocent guest, and so he went to turn his sword on himself. As he did so Thestor recounted his tale of woe.

Leucippe immediately stayed the hand of Thestor, preventing his suicide.

Theonoe was now in danger, for Thestor and Leucippe now plotted against the concubine would would have caused father to kill daughter. Leucippe and Thestor went to the room of Theonoe, but before Thestor delivered a killing blow to Theonoe, he once again recounted his tale.

Theonoe now revealed herself to be the daughter of Thestor and sister of Leucippe; and so father and daughters were reunited.

The tale of Theonoe, Thestor and Leucippe was then told to King Icarus; and Icarus, seeing the works of the Fates in such a tale, released all three, returning them with gifts to Mycenae.

Contents

Colin Quartermain - Theonoe - 6th September 2025