Note 120 — Women in Greek Poetry

Such erotic legends as he does introduce are treated with strangely little sympathy. The best (in the extant odes) is that of Pelops and Hippodameia (Olymp. 1), where the writer has, perhaps, been roused to a little warmth by the story of Pelops and Poseidon that has immediately preceded. The legend of Peleus and Hippolyte (Nem. 5) is noticeable as being, strangely enough, the only one in which the woman is represented as taking the initiative; but this is doubtless to be explained by the fact that nearly all these stories are descriptive of the amours of gods. The story of Jason and Medea is utterly spoiled in Pyth. 4. In that of Apollo and Coronis (Pyth. 3) only the unfaithfulness of the nymph and her punishment are dwelt upon. The other erotic stories told—i.e. those of Apollo and Euadne (Olymp. 6), Apollo and Cyrene (Pyth. 9), Zeus and the daughter of Opoeis (Olymp. 9), Ixion and Hera (Pyth. 2), are merely concerned with seductions of the most commonplace kind. The story of Rhoecus and the Hamadryad (Fr. 165) is the only one of importance alluded to in the fragments; but here it is uncertain how far Pindar told the story, and how far he merely alluded to it.