THE THESPIADES IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
The Thespiades is the collective name given to the 50 daughters of King Thespius of Thespiae. The 50 Thespiades are famous in tales of Greek mythology for being the lovers of the demi-god Heracles.
The Daughters of ThespiusAccording to the surviving tales, the Thespiades were the daughters of King Thespius, king of Thespiae, with it commonly being said each daughter was born to the king’s wife, Megamede.
Some say though, it is unreasonable to believe that Megamede successfully bore 50 children, and some therefore tell of the Thespiades being born to a number of Thespius’ mistresses, as well as his wife. |
The Daughters of Thespius - Gustave Moreau - PD-art-100
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The Thespiades and Heracles
Strangely, as his daughters reached the age when they should have found suitable husbands, Thespius had done little to encourage suitors. Instead, it seemed that Thespius sought not son-in-laws, but grandsons sired by the Greek hero, Heracles. Heracles was but 18 but his reputation had already spread across Ancient Greece.
Thespius, at the time when events occurred, had an issue with a beast ravaging his land; this beast was the Lion of Cithaeron. Thespius thus invited Heracles to Thespiae to rid the land of the Lion.
For fifty days and nights, Heracles was a guest in Thespius’ palace, whilst the hunt went on. Each night, Thespius would send one of his daughters to sleep with the demi-god. It was said though that one daughter, Anthea, refused to sleep with Heracles.
Alternatively, Heracles slept with 49 of the 50 Thespiades in a single night.
In either case, the Thespiades gave to 50 sons of Heracles; the shortfall of Anthea’s abstinence being made up by the fact that Procris gave birth to twin boys.
Some versions of the myth of the Thespiades tell of Anthrea subsequently becoming the virgin priestess in the temple dedicated to Heracles.
Subsequently, a majority of the sons of the Thespiades would accompany Iolaus, Heracles’ nephew, when Sardinia was colonised.
Thespius, at the time when events occurred, had an issue with a beast ravaging his land; this beast was the Lion of Cithaeron. Thespius thus invited Heracles to Thespiae to rid the land of the Lion.
For fifty days and nights, Heracles was a guest in Thespius’ palace, whilst the hunt went on. Each night, Thespius would send one of his daughters to sleep with the demi-god. It was said though that one daughter, Anthea, refused to sleep with Heracles.
Alternatively, Heracles slept with 49 of the 50 Thespiades in a single night.
In either case, the Thespiades gave to 50 sons of Heracles; the shortfall of Anthea’s abstinence being made up by the fact that Procris gave birth to twin boys.
Some versions of the myth of the Thespiades tell of Anthrea subsequently becoming the virgin priestess in the temple dedicated to Heracles.
Subsequently, a majority of the sons of the Thespiades would accompany Iolaus, Heracles’ nephew, when Sardinia was colonised.
The Thespiades
In the Bibliotheca, as attributed to Apollodorus, the fifty daughters of Thespius, and the 50 grandsons thereafter born, are named as the below -
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Colin Quartermain - The Thespiades - 19th August 2025