MARPESSA (mythical daughter of Euenus)
Figure of myth · mythical daughter of Euenus
Marpessa, daughter of Euenus and Alcippe, was a maiden renowned for her lovely cheeks and fair ankles.1,2,3,4 Known by the surname Choera, she carried a reputation for daring that surpassed that of other women.5,6 Her parents also called her Alcyone, a name born of her mother’s mourning in the voice of a halcyon bird.2
Accounts differ on her captors; while some say Idas brought her back not against her will, others record that Apollo attempted to court her and carried her away from her parents.1,4,2 Idas fought Apollo to win Marpessa.2 She was eventually taken to the well-built city of Pleuron.3
Marpessa became the mother of Cleopatra, a child she bore to Idas.2,7 Although Phylleus was identified as her betrothed, she participated in events involving the Tegeans and Lacedaemonians.8,6 Her shield was later dedicated as a votive offering in a temple, preserving her memory.5
The codex facts behind this entry
In the myths
Idas carried off Marpessa in a winged chariot and brought her back not against her will. Apollodorus 1.7.8 +1
