Allusions in
Stasimon 4 of Antigone
Danae
Danae was
imprisoned when it
was foretold that
she would mother a
son who would kill
her father, King
Acrisios. Her
beauty attracted
Zeus, who visited
her in the form of a
shower of gold.
Perseus, Danae’s son, was born of the union,
and Danae was exiled with the child.
Years later, as
prophesied, the boy did
kill Acrisios, whom he
failed to recognize as his
grandfather.
King
Lycurgus
Dryas’ son was Lycurgus,
a mythological king whose
opposition to the worship
of Dionysus was severely
punished by the gods.
Lycrugus drove the
followers of Dionysus
from Thrace and was
subsequently driven
insane.
He recovered from his
madness while
imprisoned in a cave, but
he was later blinded by
Zeus as additional
Ares/Son
s of
Phineus
The chorus refers to the story of King Phineus
of Salmydessus in Thrace. Phineus imprisoned
his first wife, Cleopatra (not the Egyptian
queen), after marrying a second wife, Idaea.
Out of jealousy, Idaea made false accusations
of treachery against Cleopatra’s sons, Plesippus
and Pandion, and put out their eyes with a
weaver’s spindle.
Zeus, angry that Phineas revealed too much of
the plans of the gods, punished him by blinding
him and setting him on an island with a buffet
of food.