THRACE (region)

Myths set at Thrace

In the age of the gods

Before the heroes. In Godsunder these are history: everyone in the world knows them.

• The Guardian of Dionysus. Aristaeus serves as a guardian to Dionysus during his military preparations. He performs a sacrifice before Dionysus's campaign against Cronus and learns useful knowledge in Thrace. Diodorus 3.72 +1 Aristaeus

In the age of heroes

• The Death of Asclepius and Apollo's Defense of Alcestis. Zeus kills Apollo's son Asclepius with a thunderbolt, leading Apollo to guard the house of Alcestis as she prepares to die. Apollo confronts Death, arguing that Alcestis was given in exchange for Admetus's life and predicting a Thracian hero will eventually save her. Euripides, Alcestis 1-27 +5 Apollo
• The Indian Campaign. Dionysus sets out to teach vine culture and wine-making to the inhabited world, leading an army of women armed with thyrsi. He conquers India and returns to Thebes on an elephant, having gathered great booty and punished his opponents. Apollodorus 3.5.1 +5 Dionysus
• The Marriage and Birth of Itys. Procne, the princess of Athens, marries Tereus, the king of Thrace, and moves to his kingdom. She gives birth to their son, Itys, and the couple celebrates the occasion with festivals. Apollodorus 3.14.8 +5 Procne
• The Murder of Polydorus by Polymestor. Priam secretly sends his son Polydorus to Thrace with great riches to keep him safe from the war. Polymestor murders the prince to steal the gold and disposes of the body in the sea. Aeneid 3.19 +5 Polydorus
• The Rescue of Alcestis. Heracles arrives at the house of Admetus during his mourning for his wife Alcestis, who died in his place. He rescues Alcestis from Death and restores her to Admetus before departing for a new labor. Euripides, Alcestis 1006-1036 +5 Heracles
• The Theft of the Mares of Diomedes. Heracles was ordered to capture the man-eating mares of Diomedes, leading him to sail to Thrace with volunteers. He killed Diomedes and the Bistones, then delivered the mares to Eurystheus. Apollodorus 2.5.8 +5 Heracles
• The Wandering to Italy. hook: Antenor and his four sons escape the destruction of Troy and move into Thrace. goal: He seeks a new home for the exiled Trojans, eventually reaching the Adriatic coast. outcome: He settles in Henetica, builds the city of Patavium, and sleeps in peace to this day. Aeneid 1.223 +5 Antenor
• The Murder of Polydorus. hook: "Priam entrusts his son Polydorus and a large amount of gold to Polymestor in Thrace." goal: "" outcome: "Polymestor kills Polydorus and throws his body into the sea."} Euripides, Hecuba 1107-1144 +3 Polymestor
• The Taming of the Mares of Diomedes. Eurystheus dispatches a hero to retrieve a team of horses from Thrace. The hero delivers the captured mares to Eurystheus, who releases them to Mount Olympus. Apollodorus 2.5.8 +3 Eurystheus
• The Arrival of Rhesus. Hector confronts the late-arriving Thracian chieftain Rhesus, accusing him of drinking and delaying aid to Troy. Hector asserts his dominance by claiming he made Rhesus a lord and enslaved his people, before agreeing to accept him as an ally. Euripides, Rhesus 264-283 +2 Hector
• The March to the Black Sea and the Pillar at the Straits. Sesostris leads his army from Iberia through Thrace into Pontus, advancing his forces as far as the region of Europe. The campaign concludes with the establishment of a pillar bearing his hieroglyphic inscription at the straits. Pliny, Nat. Hist. 6.34 ¶3 +2
• The Journey to Thrace. hook: Odysseus disguises himself in rags and is considered worthless by the crew. goal: Neoptolemus travels overland through Thrace to meet Odysseus. outcome: Neoptolemus meets Odysseus at Maronea. The Little Iliad fr. 9 (2) +1 Odysseus