Information AboutHeroides |
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It is composed of 21 letters, each fictitiously attributed to heroines of antiquity grieving over their unrequited loves. Letters 16–21 were composed around AD 4 - 8. It is still in existence and safely attributed to Ovid. A translation was made of this work in the Middle Ages by the French poet Octavien De Saint-Gelais . The letters are written from the viewpoints of the following heroines (and heroes): I. Penelope to her husband Ulysses during his long absence after the defeat of Troy II. Phyllis , the daughter of Lycurgus , to her lover Demophoon , the son of Theseus king of Athens , after he failed to return from Athens III. Briseis, the daughter of Brises, to Achilles , urging him to accept herself as part of a package from Agamemnon and return to battle against the Trojans IV. Phaedra , wife of Theseus , to her stepson, Hippolytus , confessing her love for him V. The nymph Oenone to Paris , the son of Priam VI. Hypsipyle , queen of Lemnos, to Jason after he abandoned her for Medea VII. Dido to Aeneas on his departure to Italy VIII. Hermione , daughter of Menelaus , to Orestes , son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra , urging him to save her from marriage to Achilles’ son, Pyrrhus IX. Deianira , daughter of Oeneus , king of Aetolia , to her husband Hercules after he laid down his weapons to be with Iole , the daughter of Eurytus , king of Oechalia X. Ariadne to Theseus after he abandoned her in favour of her sister, Phaedra (see Epistle IV) XI. Canace , daughter of Aeolus , to her brother and lover, Macareus, before killing herself following the death of their baby at the hands of their father XII. Medea to Jason after he abandoned her to marry Creusa XIII. Laodamia , the daughter of Acastus , to her husband Protesilaus , urging him not to take too many risks in the Greeks’ attack on Troy XIV. Hypermnestra to her husband, Lynceus , calling for him to save her from death at the hands of her father, Danaus XV. Sappho to her ex-lover Phaon after he left her XVI. Paris to Helen , trying to persuade her to leave her husband, Menelaus , and go with him to Troy XVII. Helen ’s reply to Paris , revealing her readiness to leave Menelaus for him XVIII. Leander to Hero on his love for her XIX. Hero ’s reply to Leander on her love for him XX. Acontius to Cydippe on his love for her, reminding her of her commitment to marry him XXI. Cydippe ’s reply to Acontius , agreeing to marry him
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