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{{short description|Mother of Odysseus}}
:''For the ] ], see ''].<!-- leave redlink to prevent ambiguous "(genus)" -->
{{About|a character in Greek mythology|the genus of ]s|Anticlea (moth)|the genus of flowering plants|Anticlea (plant)|other characters named Anticlea|Anticlea (mythology)}}
In ], '''Anticlea''' (Ἀντίκλεια) was the daughter of ] and ] and mother of ] by ] (though some say by ]). She was also the granddaughter of the ] ] (who was the father of her father, Autolycus).
].]]
In ], '''Anticlea''' or '''Anticlia''' ({{IPAc-en|ˌ|æ|n|t|ᵻ|ˈ|k|l|iː|ə}}; ]: ''Ἀντίκλεια'', literally "without fame") was a queen of ] as the wife of King ].


== Family ==
==Anticlea in the Odyssey==
Anticlea was the daughter of ]<ref>], '']'' 11.85; ], ''Fabulae'' 243</ref> and ].<ref>Homer, ''Odyssey'' 19.416</ref> The ] and messenger of the gods, ], was her paternal grandfather. Anticlea was the mother of ]<ref>Hyginus, ''Fabulae'' 243; ], 10.29.8</ref> by ]<ref>], ] 3.12; Hyginus, ''Fabulae'' 97</ref> (though some say by ]<ref name=":0">Hyginus, ''Fabulae'' 201; ], ''Quaestiones Graecae'' 43; ], s.v. '' {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225005003/https://topostext.org/work/240#si.490 |date=2021-02-25 }}''</ref>). ] was also her daughter by her husband Laertes.<ref>Homer, ''Odyssey'' 15.363–364</ref>


== Mythology ==
⚫ In Book XI of the ], Odysseus makes a trip to the ] to seek the advice of the dead prophet ]. In the underworld, he encounters many spirits, including that of his mother, Anticlea. Initially, he rebuffs her since he is waiting for the prophet to approach. After speaking with Tiresias, however, Odysseus allows his mother to come near and lets her speak. She asks him why he is in the underworld while alive, and he tells her about his various troubles and futile attempts to get home. Then he asks her how she died and inquires about his family at home. She tells him that she died of grief, longing for him while he was at war. Anticlea also says that Laërtes (Odysseus' father) "grieves continually" for Odysseus and lives in a hovel in the coseamenuntryside, clad in rags and sleeping on the floor. Anticlea further describes the condition of Odysseus' wife ] and son ]. Penelope has not yet remarried but is overwhelmed with sadness and longing for her husband while Telemachus acts as magistrate for Odysseus' properties. Odysseus attempts to embrace his mother three times but discovers that she is incorporeal, and his arms simply pass through her. She explains that this is how all ghosts are, and he expresses great sorrow.


==Anticlea and Sisyphus== === Early years ===
According to ], when she was young, Anticlea served the goddess ], and accompanied her in hunting, bearing arrow and quiver.<ref>], ''Hymn 3 to Artemis'' 184 ff</ref>


According to some later sources, Odysseus was the child of Anticlea by ], not Laërtes. In this version of the story, Autolycus, an infamous trickster, stole Sisyphus' cattle. At some point, Sisyphus recognized his cattle while on a visit to Autolycus and subsequently seduced (or, in some versions, raped) Anticlea, Autolycus' daughter. Odysseus was the result of this union, which took place before Anticlea's marriage to Laërtes. According to some later sources, including a fragment of ]' lost tragedy ''The Judgment of Arms'', Odysseus was the child of Anticlea by ], not Laërtes. In this version of the story, Autolycus, an infamous trickster, stole Sisyphus' cattle. At some point, Sisyphus recognized his cattle while on a visit to Autolycus and subsequently seduced Anticlea, Autolycus' daughter. Odysseus was the result of this union, which took place before Anticlea's marriage to Laërtes.<ref name=":0" /> When Anticlea was brought to a place about the ] in ], she delivered Odysseus. Later on, her son called the city of Ithaca by the same name, to renew the memory of the place in which he had been born.<ref>], ''Quaestiones Graecae'' 43 with Ister the Alexandrian as the authority</ref>


==Sources== ===''Odyssey''===
In Book XI of the '']'', Odysseus makes a trip to the ] to seek the advice of the dead prophet ]. In the underworld, he encounters many spirits, among them is that of his mother, Anticlea.<ref>Apollodorus, Epitome 7.17; Hyginus, ''Fabulae'' 125</ref> Initially, he rebuffs her since he is waiting for the prophet to approach.
⚫ ]. ''the ]''. "Book XI". Trans. Lombardo, Stanley. Indianapolis, USA: Hackett, 2000.


⚫ After speaking with Tiresias, however, Odysseus allows his mother to come near and lets her speak. She asks him why he is in the underworld while alive, and he tells her about his various troubles and failed attempts to get home. Then he asks her how she died and inquires about his family at home. She tells him that she died of grief, longing for him while he was at ]. Anticlea also says that Laërtes (Odysseus' father) "grieves continually" for Odysseus and lives in a hovel in the countryside, clad in rags and sleeping on the floor. Anticlea further describes the condition of Odysseus' wife ] and son ].
⚫ ==External links==
⚫ *
⚫ *


Penelope has not yet remarried but is overwhelmed with sadness and longing for her husband while Telemachus acts as magistrate for Odysseus' properties. Odysseus attempts to embrace his mother three times but discovers that she is incorporeal, and his arms simply pass through her. She explains that this is how all ghosts are, and he expresses great sorrow.


In some accounts, Anticleia killed herself on hearing a false report about her son from ].<ref>Hyginus, ''Fabulae'' 243</ref>

The encounter between ] and his mother in the ] is also the concept of a work by the Northern Irish poet ], titled ''Anticleia''.

== Notes ==
<references />

==References==
*], ''The Library'' with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. ISBN 0-674-99135-4. .
*], ''Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus'' translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies.
*], ] with an English Translation by A.T. Murray, Ph.D. in two volumes. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1919. {{ISBN|978-0674995611|}}. .
⚫ *Homer. ''The Odyssey''. "Book XI". Trans. ]. Indianapolis, USA: Hackett, 2000.
*], ''Moralia'' with an English Translation by Frank Cole Babbitt. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press. London. William Heinemann Ltd. 1936. . .
*], ''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}}.
*Pausanias, ''Graeciae Descriptio.'' ''3 vols''. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903. .
*], ''Suda Encyclopedia'' translated by Ross Scaife, David Whitehead, William Hutton, Catharine Roth, Jennifer Benedict, Gregory Hays, Malcolm Heath Sean M. Redmond, Nicholas Fincher, Patrick Rourke, Elizabeth Vandiver, Raphael Finkel, Frederick Williams, Carl Widstrand, Robert Dyer, Joseph L. Rife, Oliver Phillips and many others.

⚫ ==External links==
⚫ *
⚫ *


{{wikisource|The Odyssey/Book XI}} {{wikisource|The Odyssey/Book XI}}
{{Characters in the Odyssey}} {{Characters in the Odyssey}}


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Latest revision as of 20:42, 3 December 2024

Mother of Odysseus This article is about a character in Greek mythology. For the genus of geometer moths, see Anticlea (moth). For the genus of flowering plants, see Anticlea (plant). For other characters named Anticlea, see Anticlea (mythology).
A painting of Anticlea in the underworld by Henry Fuseli.

In Greek mythology, Anticlea or Anticlia (/ˌæntɪˈkliːə/; Ancient Greek: Ἀντίκλεια, literally "without fame") was a queen of Ithaca as the wife of King Laërtes.

Family

Anticlea was the daughter of Autolycus and Amphithea. The divine trickster and messenger of the gods, Hermes, was her paternal grandfather. Anticlea was the mother of Odysseus by Laërtes (though some say by Sisyphus). Ctimene was also her daughter by her husband Laertes.

Mythology

Early years

According to Callimachus, when she was young, Anticlea served the goddess Artemis, and accompanied her in hunting, bearing arrow and quiver.

According to some later sources, including a fragment of Aeschylus' lost tragedy The Judgment of Arms, Odysseus was the child of Anticlea by Sisyphus, not Laërtes. In this version of the story, Autolycus, an infamous trickster, stole Sisyphus' cattle. At some point, Sisyphus recognized his cattle while on a visit to Autolycus and subsequently seduced Anticlea, Autolycus' daughter. Odysseus was the result of this union, which took place before Anticlea's marriage to Laërtes. When Anticlea was brought to a place about the Alalcomeneum in Boeotia, she delivered Odysseus. Later on, her son called the city of Ithaca by the same name, to renew the memory of the place in which he had been born.

Odyssey

In Book XI of the Odyssey, Odysseus makes a trip to the underworld to seek the advice of the dead prophet Tiresias. In the underworld, he encounters many spirits, among them is that of his mother, Anticlea. Initially, he rebuffs her since he is waiting for the prophet to approach.

After speaking with Tiresias, however, Odysseus allows his mother to come near and lets her speak. She asks him why he is in the underworld while alive, and he tells her about his various troubles and failed attempts to get home. Then he asks her how she died and inquires about his family at home. She tells him that she died of grief, longing for him while he was at war. Anticlea also says that Laërtes (Odysseus' father) "grieves continually" for Odysseus and lives in a hovel in the countryside, clad in rags and sleeping on the floor. Anticlea further describes the condition of Odysseus' wife Penelope and son Telemachus.

Penelope has not yet remarried but is overwhelmed with sadness and longing for her husband while Telemachus acts as magistrate for Odysseus' properties. Odysseus attempts to embrace his mother three times but discovers that she is incorporeal, and his arms simply pass through her. She explains that this is how all ghosts are, and he expresses great sorrow.

In some accounts, Anticleia killed herself on hearing a false report about her son from Nauplius.

The encounter between Odysseus and his mother in the underworld is also the concept of a work by the Northern Irish poet Michael Longley, titled Anticleia.

Notes

  1. Homer, Odyssey 11.85; Hyginus, Fabulae 243
  2. Homer, Odyssey 19.416
  3. Hyginus, Fabulae 243; Pausanias, 10.29.8
  4. Apollodorus, Epitome 3.12; Hyginus, Fabulae 97
  5. ^ Hyginus, Fabulae 201; Plutarch, Quaestiones Graecae 43; Suida, s.v. Sisyphus Archived 2021-02-25 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Homer, Odyssey 15.363–364
  7. Callimachus, Hymn 3 to Artemis 184 ff
  8. Plutarch, Quaestiones Graecae 43 with Ister the Alexandrian as the authority
  9. Apollodorus, Epitome 7.17; Hyginus, Fabulae 125
  10. Hyginus, Fabulae 243

References

External links

Characters in the Odyssey
House of Odysseus
Other monarchs
and royals
Gods
Suitors
Others
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