View source for Hilaeira

{{Short description|Princess in ancient Greek mythology}}
[[File:Peter Paul Rubens & Jan Wildens - De ontvoering van de Dochters van Leucippus.jpg|right|thumb|''[[The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus]]'' by [[Peter Paul Rubens|Rubens]]]]
[[Image:WaltersOresteiaSarcoph.JPG|right|thumb|Roman sarcophagus with Castor and Pollux seizing Phoebe and Hilaera, ca. 160.]]
In [[Greek mythology]], '''Hilaera''' ([[Ancient Greek]]: Ἱλάειρα; also '''Ilaeira''') was a [[Messenia]]n princess. [[Stephanus of Byzantium]] called her '''Elaeira''' (Ἐλάειρα).<ref>[https://topostext.org/work/241#A149.13 Stephanus of Byzantium, Ethnica, A149.13]</ref>

== Family ==
Hilaera was a daughter of [[Leucippus of Messenia|Leucippus]]<ref>[[Tzetzes]] ad [[Lycophron]], [https://topostext.org/work/860#511b 511]</ref>{{AI-generated source|date=November 2024}} and [[Philodice (mythology)|Philodice]], daughter of [[Inachus]].<ref>Smith, ''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology''</ref> She and her sister [[Phoebe (Leucippides)|Phoebe]] are commonly referred to as Leucippides (that is, "daughters of Leucippus"). In another account, they were the daughters of Apollo.<ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+3.16.1&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Hilaeira 3.16.1] from the author of ''[[Cypria]]''</ref> Hilaera married Castor<ref>[[Propertius]], ''Elegies'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Prop.+1.2&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0067:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Hilaira 1.2]</ref> and bore him a son, named either [[Anogon]]<ref>[[Pseudo-Apollodorus|Apollodorus]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+3.11.2&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Hilaira 3.11.2]</ref> or [[Anaxias|Anaxis]].<ref>Pausanias, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+2.22.5&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Hilaeira 2.22.5]</ref>

== Mythology ==
Hilaera and Phoebe were priestesses of Artemis and Athena, and betrothed to [[Lynceus (Argonaut)|Lynceus]] and [[Idas]], the sons of [[Aphareus of Messenia|Aphareus]]. [[Castor and Pollux]] were charmed by their beauty and carried them off.<ref>Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+3.11.2&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:boo=0:chapter=0&highlight=Hilaira 3.11.2]; [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''Fabulae'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#80 80]</ref> When Idas and Lynceus tried to rescue their brides-to-be they were both slain, but Castor himself fell.<ref>[[Theocritus]], ''[[Idyll]]s'' [https://www.theoi.com/Text/TheocritusIdylls4.html#22 22.137 ff.]; [[Ovid]], ''[[Fasti (poem)|Fasti]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/143#5.693 5.709 ff.]</ref> Pollux persuaded [[Zeus]] to allow him to share his immortality with his brother.<ref>Hyginus, ''Fabulae'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#80 80]</ref>

== Cultural depictions ==
Hilaera and Phoebe are both portrayed in the painting ''[[The Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus]]''.

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

== References ==

* [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], ''The Library'' with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. ISBN 0-674-99135-4. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0022 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0021 Greek text available from the same website].
* [[Gaius Julius Hyginus]], ''Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus'' translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies. [https://topostext.org/work/206 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
* [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], ''Description of Greece'' with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A., in 4 Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918. {{ISBN|0-674-99328-4}}. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0160 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library]
* Pausanias, ''Graeciae Descriptio.'' ''3 vols''. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903.  [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0159 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Ovid|Publius Ovidius Naso]], ''Fasti'' translated by James G. Frazer. [https://topostext.org/work/143 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
* Publius Ovidius Naso, ''Fasti.'' Sir James George Frazer. London; Cambridge, MA. William Heinemann Ltd.; Harvard University Press. 1933. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0547 Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
*[[Propertius|Sextus Propertius]], ''Elegies'' from ''Charm.'' Vincent Katz. trans. Los Angeles. Sun & Moon Press. 1995. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0067 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0066 Latin text available at the same website].
* [[Theocritus]], ''Idylls'' from ''The Greek Bucolic Poets t''ranslated by Edmonds, J M. Loeb Classical Library Volume 28. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press. 1912. [http://www.theoi.com/Text/TheocritusIdylls1.html Online version at theoi.com]
* Theocritus, ''Idylls'' edited by R. J. Cholmeley, M.A. London. George Bell & Sons. 1901. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0228 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.]

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline|Phoebe and Hilaeira}}

[[Category:Princesses in Greek mythology]]
[[Category:Children of Apollo]]
[[Category:Mythological rape victims]]
[[Category:Mythological Messenians]]
[[Category:Castor and Pollux]]
[[Category:Greek mythological priestesses]]
[[Category:Mythological kidnapped people]]