Iphis (mythology) explained

Iphis (; Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: Ἶφις in Greek, Modern (1453-); pronounced as /íi.pʰis/) was a name attributed to the following individuals in Greek mythology.

The feminine name Iphis (Ἶφις Îphis, gen. Ἴφιδος Ī́phidos) refers to the following personages.

• Iphis, daughter of Ligdus and Telethusa. Iphis was raised male and eventually transformed into a man by the goddess Isis in order to marry Ianthe, daughter of Telestes.^[1]
• Iphis, as recounted in Homer's Iliad, was the slave of Patroclus, Achilles' companion-in-arms. A native of Scyros, she had been enslaved by Achilles when the latter conquered her home island, and given by him to Patroclus.^[2] Pausanias describes a painting of Iphis, Diomede and Briseis admiring Helen's beauty as the latter has been brought back to the Greek camp from the sacked Troy.^[3]
• Iphis, a Thespian princess as one of the 50 daughters of King Thespius and Megamede^[4] or by one of his many wives.^[5] When Heracles hunted and ultimately slayed the Cithaeronian lion,^[6] Iphis with her other sisters, except for one,^[7] all laid with the hero in a night,^[8] a week^[9] or for 50 days^[10] as what their father strongly desired it to be.^[11] Iphis bore Heracles a son, Celeustanor.^[12]
• Iphis, daughter of Peneus, mother of Salmoneus by Aeolus, the son of Hellen.^[13]
• Iphis, variant for Iphigenia or Iphianassa.^[14]

The masculine name Iphis (Ἶφις Îphis, gen. Ἴφιος Ī́phios) refers to the following personages.

• Iphis, in Ovid's Metamorphoses, was a Cypriot shepherd who loved a woman named Anaxarete. Anaxarete scorned him and Iphis killed himself in despair. Because Anaxarete was still unmoved, Aphrodite changed her to stone.^[15]
• Iphis, son of Alector, was one of the kings in Argos. Polynices came to him for advice on how to get Amphiaraus to join the Seven against Thebes. He advised him to give Eriphyle the necklace of Harmonia. He was the father of Eteoclus, Evadne (wife of Capaneus)^[16] and Laodice (mother of Capaneus).^[17] He left his kingdom to his grandson Sthenelus, the son of his son-in-law Capaneus.^[18]
• Iphis or Iphitus,^[19] one of the Argonauts, son of Sthenelus and brother of Eurystheus, from Argos. He was killed in battle in Colchis by Aeetes.^[20]
• Iphis, one of the defenders of Thebes in the war of the Seven against Thebes. He was killed by Acamas.^[21]
• Iphis, father of Ligdus (see above).^[22]

References

• Apollodorus, 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. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website.
• Athenaeus of Naucratis, The Deipnosophists or Banquet of the Learned. London. Henry G. Bohn, York Street, Covent Garden. 1854. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
• Athenaeus of Naucratis, Deipnosophistae. Kaibel. In Aedibus B.G. Teubneri. Lipsiae. 1887. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
• Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History translated by Charles Henry Oldfather. Twelve volumes. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. 1989. Vol. 3. Books 4.59–8. Online version at Bill Thayer's Web Site
• Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica. Vol 1-2. Immanel Bekker. Ludwig Dindorf. Friedrich Vogel. in aedibus B. G. Teubneri. Leipzig. 1888-1890. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
• Gaius Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica translated by Mozley, J H. Loeb Classical Library Volume 286. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1928. Online version at theio.com.
• Gaius Valerius Flaccus, Argonauticon. Otto Kramer. Leipzig. Teubner. 1913. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
• Homer, The Iliad with an English Translation by A.T. Murray, Ph.D. in two volumes. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann, Ltd. 1924. . Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
• Homer, Homeri Opera in five volumes. Oxford, Oxford University Press. 1920. . Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
• 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. . Online version at the Perseus Digital Library
• Pausanias, Graeciae Descriptio. 3 vols. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
• Publius Papinius Statius, The Thebaid translated by John Henry Mozley. Loeb Classical Library Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1928. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
• Publius Papinius Statius, The Thebaid. Vol I-II. John Henry Mozley. London: William Heinemann; New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 1928. Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
• Tzetzes, John, Book of Histories, Book II-IV translated by Gary Berkowitz from the original Greek of T. Kiessling's edition of 1826. Online version at theio.com

Notes and References

1. [Ovid]
2. [Homer]
3. [Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]
4. [Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]
5. [Diodorus Siculus]
6. Apollodorus, 2.4.9
7. Pausanias, 9.27.6; Diodorus Siculus, 4.29.3, f.n. 51
8. Pausanias, 9.27.6–7; Gregorius Nazianzenus, Orat. IV, Contra Julianum I (Migne S. Gr. 35.661)
9. [Athenaeus]
10. Apollodorus, 2.4.10; Diodorus Siculus, 4.29.3; Tzetzes, Chiliades 2.224
11. Apollodorus, 2.4.10; Diodorus Siculus, 4.29.3
12. Apollodorus, 2.7.8
13. [Hellanicus of Lesbos|Hellanicus]
14. Tzetzes ad Lycophron, 323–324; Etymologicum Magnum s.v. Amphis
15. Ovid, Metamorphoses 14.698 ff.
16. Apollodorus, 3.6.2; 3.6.3 & 3.7.1
17. Scholia ad Euripides, Phoenissae 180; ad Pindar, Nemean Ode 9.30
18. Pausanias, 2.18.5
19. Diodorus Siculus, 4.48.4
20. Scholia ad Apollonius Rhodius, 4.223 & 228; Valerius Flaccus, 1.41 & 7.407
21. [Statius]
22. Ovid, Metamorphoses 9.709