Penelope in Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology
(Πηνελόπη, Πενελόπη, Πηνελόπεια), a daughter of Icarins and
Periboea of Sparta (Hom. Od. 1.329; Apollod. 3.10.6 ; compi.
ICARIUS. According to Didymus, Penelope was originally
called Ameirace, Arnacia, or Arnaea, and Nauplius or her own
parents are said to have cast her into the sea (Tzetz. ad
Lyc. 792), where she was fed by sea-birds (πννέλοπες) from
which she derived her name. (Eustath. ad Hom. p. 1422.) She
was married to Odysseus, king of Ithaca, by whom she had an
only child, Telemachus, who was yet an infant at the time
when her husband went with the Greeks to Troy. (Od. 11.447,
21.158.) During the long absence of Odysseus, she was
beleaguered by numerous and importunate suitors, whom she
deceived by declaring that she must finish a large shroud
which she was making for Laertes, her aged father-in-law,
before she should make up her mind. During the day time she
accordingly worked at the shroud, and in the night she undid
the work of the day. (Od. 19.149, &c., comp. 2.121; Propert.
2.9. 5.) By this means she succeeded in putting off the
suitors. But at length her stratagem was betrayed by her
servants; and when, in consequence, the faithful Penelope,
who was pining and longing for her husband's return, was
pressed more and more by the impatient suitors, Odysseus at
length arrived in Ithaca, and as she recognised him by
several signs, she heartily welcomed him, and the days of
her grief and sorrow were at an end. (Od. 17.103, 23.205,
24.192; Eur. Orest. 588 &c. ; Ov. Ep. 1.83; Trist 5.14;
Propert. 3.12. 23, &c.; colip. ICARIUS and ODYSSERS. While
the Homeric tradition describes Penelope as a most chaste
and faithful wife, later writers charge her with the very
opposite vices, and relate that by Heermes or by all the
suitors together she became the mother of Pan. (Lycoph. 772;
Schol. ad Herod. 2.145; Cic. De Nat. Deor. 3.22 ; comtip.
PA>N.) Odysseus on his return for this reason repudiated
her, whereupon she went to Sparta, and thence to Mantineia,
where her tomb was shown in after times. (Paus. 8.12.3.)
According to another tradition, Penelope. with Telemachus
and Telegonus, who had killed his father Odysseus, went to
Aeaea, and there married Telegonus; whereas, according to
others again, she married Telegonus in the islands of the
Blessed. (Hyg. Fab. 127; Tzetz. ad Lycophr. 805.) - A
Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology,
William Smith, Ed.
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