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The DANAIDS are the 50 daughters of Danaus 1 who
married the sons of Aegyptus 1, and murdered their
husbands (except one) on their wedding night.
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Argive ancestor
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For having been seduced by
Zeus,
Io, a native from
Argos, was severely
punished by the god's jealous wife
Hera, who pursued her all
over the world. Having wandered in many countries,
Io came safely to Egypt where
she settled, giving birth to Epaphus 1, son of
Zeus.
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Descendants of Io
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When Epaphus 1 grew up, he became king of Egypt,
and having married Memphis 2, daughter of the river
god Nilus or, as some say, Cassiopea 4, he fathered
Libya.
Libya consorted with
Poseidon, giving birth,
among others, to Belus 1. Belus 1, who inherited
the kingdom of Egypt, married Anchinoe (another
daughter of Nilus), and had by her many children,
among whom Danaus 1 and Aegyptus 1.
Belus 1 settled Danaus 1 in Libya, and Aegyptus
1 in Arabia. However, when Aegyptus 1 subjugated
the country of the Melampods, naming it Egypt after
himself, the two brothers quarrelled concerning the
kingdom.
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Danaus 1 emigrates
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Danaus 1 felt threatened by Aegyptus 1 and his
50 sons, and decided that he and his 50 daughters
would leave Egypt and emigrate to
Argos, the country of
their ancestor Io. In order
to accomplish his plan, Danaus 1 built a ship,
being the first to build one, as some affirm.
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Arrival to Argos
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After having touched
Rhodes, Danaus 1 arrived
to Argos. Some tell that
Gelanor was king of Argos
at this time, and that Danaus 1 deposed him. Others
affirm that the name of the king of
Argos was Pelasgus 1, and
that he received Danaus 1 and his daughters as
exiles. For granting asylum to these fugitives,
Pelasgus 1 was threatened with war by the
Egyptians, but he let the Argives vote, and the
assembly decided to protect the refugees.
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Marriage
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The sons of Aegyptus 1 then demanded to be
wedded to the daughters of Danaus 1, and since this
offer could not be refused, Danaus 1 consented to
the marriage, and allotted his daughters among
them. But at the same time, he instructed the girls
to kill the bridegrooms on their wedding night.
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Murder
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In this way, the sons of Aegyptus 1 got their
brides by lot, while the DANAIDS got, during the
wedding feast, the daggers with which they were to
murder their husbands, according to their father's
plan. So as the bridegrooms slept the girls slew
them, except Hypermnestra 1, who spared Lynceus 2,
because he had respected her virginity.
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Trial and funerals
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To punish her disobedience, Hypermnestra 1 was
brought to judgment by Danaus 1, who shut her up
and kept her under ward. In the meanwhile, the
other DANAIDS buried the heads of their husbands in
Lerna, paying funeral
honors to their bodies in front of the city. It is
said that Athena and
Hermes purified them for
this crime, following the command of
Zeus. However, it is also
told that, for this crime, the DANAIDS still suffer
punishment in the
Underworld where they
must carry water to fill a leaky jar.
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Reconciliation
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Afterwards, Danaus 1 and his daughter
Hypermnestra 1 were reconciled, and he united her
to Lynceus 2, while giving his other daughters in
marriage to the victors of an athletic contest.
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Descendants
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Lynceus 2 and Hypermnestra 1 had a son Abas 2,
who in time became king of
Argos. Abas 2 is father of
Acrisius, father of Danae,
mother of Perseus 1,
the founder of Mycenae.
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Note 1
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The name Danaans and Achaeans has been applied
to all Greeks in general, particularly in
connection with the Trojan
War. The Achaeans came originally from
Thessaly, in mainland Greece, and settled in
Argos and Lacedaemon
(southern Peloponnesus). Having mingled with the
Danaans (ruled by Danaus 1 and his descendants)
they lived there until the return of the
HERACLIDES. The
mingling of Achaeans and Danaans is described
through the marriages of two sons of Achaeus 1
(from whom the Achaeans derive their name) with two
daughters of Danaus 1, Automate and Scaea.
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Note 2
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Several generations after the crime of the
DANAIDS, it appeared in the place where they buried
their husbands' heads
(Lerna), a many headed
monster, the Hydra, which
Heracles 1 destroyed
while performing one of his
LABOURS.
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Sons of Aegyptus 1
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Mothers of Aegyptus 1´s sons
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DANAIDS
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Mothers of the DANAIDS
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Notes
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Periphas 1.
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Gorgo 1.
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Actaea 1.
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Pieria 1.
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Daiphron 2.
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Hephaestine.
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Adiante.
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Herse 1.
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Menalcas 3.
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Gorgo 1.
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Adite.
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Pieria 1.
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Lycus 1.
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Argyphia.
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Agave 3.
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Europe 1.
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Enceladus 1.
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Argyphia.
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Amymone 1.
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Europe 1.
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As Argos was waterless
because Poseidon had
dried up the country out of anger, because the land
had been adjudged to Hera,
Danaus 1 sent his daughters to draw water. In her
search Amymone 1 threw a dart at a deer and hit a
sleeping Satyr. The Satyr tried to rape her but
Poseidon appeared and
he fled. So instead
Poseidon lay with
Amymone 1 and in exchange revealed to her the
springs at Lerna. Amymone
1 gave birth to Nauplius 1, who lived for many
generations. This Nauplius 1, in order to avenge
the death of his son
Palamedes contrived for the wives of
the Achaeans fighting at
Troy to play their husbands
false and take lovers.
Some say her husband, whom she killed was not
Enceladus 1 but Midanus.
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Archelaus 1.
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Woman 2 Phoenician.
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Anaxibia 1.
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Woman 3 Ethiopian.
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Cisseus 1.
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Caliadne.
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Anthelia.
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Polyxo 1.
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Chaetus.
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Woman 1 Arabian.
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Asteria 2.
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Nymphs 3 & 4 Hamadryads.
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Busiris 1.
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Argyphia.
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Automate.
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Europe 1.
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After killing Busiris 1, Automate married
Architeles 1, son of Achaeus 1, the eponym of the
Achaeans.
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Eurylochus 1.
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Caliadne.
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Autonoe 1.
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Polyxo 1.
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Chthonius 1.
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Caliadne.
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Bryce.
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Polyxo 1.
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Pandion 1.
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Hephaestine.
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Callidice 1.
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Crino 1.
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Hyperbius 1.
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Hephaestine.
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Celaeno 1.
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Crino 1.
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Chrysippus 1.
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Tyria.
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Chrysippe.
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Memphis 1.
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Lixus.
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Caliadne.
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Cleodora 2.
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Polyxo 1.
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Agenor 7.
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Woman 1 Arabian.
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Cleopatra 1.
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Nymphs 3 & 4 Hamadryads.
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Hermus 1.
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Caliadne.
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Cleopatra 2.
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Polyxo 1.
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Clitus 1.
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Tyria.
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Clite 1.
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Memphis 1.
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Aegyptus 2.
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Gorgo 1.
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Dioxippe 1.
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Pieria 1.
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Cercetes.
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Woman 2 Phoenician.
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Dorium.
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Woman 3 Ethiopian.
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Peristhenes.
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Caliadne.
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Electra 4.
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Polyxo 1.
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Bromius.
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Caliadne.
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Erato 2.
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Polyxo 1.
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Dryas 1.
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Caliadne.
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Eurydice 3.
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Polyxo 1.
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Argius 1.
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Woman 2 Phoenician.
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Evippe 1.
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Woman 3 Ethiopian.
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Imbrus.
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Caliadne.
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Evippe 2.
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Polyxo 1.
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Alces.
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Woman 1 Arabian.
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Glauce 1.
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Nymphs 3 & 4 Hamadryads.
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Potamon.
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Caliadne.
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Glaucippe.
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Polyxo 1.
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Hippothous 1.
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Woman 1 Arabian.
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Gorge 1.
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Nymphs 3 & 4 Hamadryads.
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Proteus 1.
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Argyphia.
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Gorgophone 1.
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Elephantis.
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Istrus 1.
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Woman 1 Arabian.
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Hippodamia 1.
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Nymphs 3 & 4 Hamadryads.
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Diocorystes.
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Woman 1 Arabian.
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Hippodamia 2.
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Nymphs 3 & 4 Hamadryads.
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Idas 1.
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Hephaestine.
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Hippodice.
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Herse 1.
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Alcmenor.
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Woman 1 Arabian.
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Hippomedusa.
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Nymphs 3 & 4 Hamadryads.
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Hippocorystes 1.
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Hephaestine.
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Hyperippe 1.
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Crino 1.
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Lynceus 2.
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Argyphia.
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Hypermnestra 1.
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Elephantis.
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Hypermnestra 1 is the one of the DANAIDS who
spared her husband Lynceus 2.
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Euchenor 1.
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Woman 1 Arabian.
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Iphimedusa.
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Nymphs 3 & 4 Hamadryads.
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Aegius.
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Woman 2 Phoenician.
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Mnestra.
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Woman 3 Ethiopian.
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Menemachus.
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Woman 2 Phoenician.
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Nelo.
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Woman 3 Ethiopian.
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Lampus 1.
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Gorgo 1.
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Ocypete 1.
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Pieria 1.
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Arbelus.
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Hephaestine.
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Oeme.
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Crino 1.
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Eurydamas 1.
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Woman 2 Phoenician.
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Phartis.
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Woman 3 Ethiopian.
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Agaptolemus.
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Woman 2 Phoenician.
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Pirene 1.
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Woman 3 Ethiopian.
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Oeneus 1.
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Gorgo 1.
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Podarce.
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Pieria 1.
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Idmon 1.
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Gorgo 1.
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Pylarge.
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Pieria 1.
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Hippolytus 1.
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Woman 1 Arabian.
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Rhode 1.
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Nymphs 3 & 4 Hamadryads.
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Chalcodon 2.
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Woman 1 Arabian.
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Rhodia 2.
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Nymphs 3 & 4 Hamadryads.
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Daiphron 1.
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Argyphia.
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Scaea.
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Europe 1.
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After killing Daiphron 1, Scaea married
Archander, son of Achaeus 1, the eponym of the
Achaeans.
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Sthenelus 1.
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Tyria.
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Sthenele 1.
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Memphis 1.
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Polyctor 1.
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Caliadne.
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Stygne.
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Polyxo 1.
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Phantes.
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Caliadne.
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Theano 1.
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Polyxo 1.
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