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In Greek mythology, Astymedusa (Ancient Greek: Ἀστυμέδουσα, Astymédousa) or simply Medusa, was a Mycenaean princess as daughter of King Sthenelus and Nicippe, daughter of Pelops.

She was occasionally named as a later wife of Oedipus. After parting with Jocasta or after the death of Euryganeia, who was his second wife, Oedipus married Astymedousa. Astymedusa accused Polynices and Eteocles of attempting to rape her, thus driving Oedipus into a frenzy. This is held as an alternate cause for the curse which led to the fraternal discord at the heart of the myth of the wars at Thebes.

Notes

1. Pausanias, Graeciae Descriptio 9.5.11; cf. Watson (1994, p. 237).
2. The Scholia to Iliad 4.376 places the union following Oedipus' discovery that Jocasta was his mother; the marriage took place following Euryganeia's death according to the scholia to Euripides, Phoenissae 53 (citing Pherecydes, FGrHist 3 F 48).
3. Eustathius on Homer, Iliad 4.376–81 (vol. i, p. 767) .
4. Watson (1994, p. 237).

References

• Pausanias, Description of Greece with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A., in 4 Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918. ISBN 0-674-99328-4. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library
• Pausanias, Graeciae Descriptio. 3 vols. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.

Bibliography

• Watson, P.A. (1994), Ancient Stepmothers: Myth, Misogyny and Reality, Leiden, ISBN 9004101764{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link).

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