- Hesione
In
Greek mythology , the most prominent Hesione was a Trojan princess, daughter of KingLaomedon ofTroy , sister ofPriam and second wife of KingTelamon of Salamis.Poseidon , angered by being cheated out of his wages by Laomedon, sent a sea monster to attack Troy. Oracles promised deliverance if Laomedon would expose his daughter Hesione to be devoured by the sea monster (in other versions, the lot happened to fall on her) and he exposed her by fastening her to the rocks near the sea.Heracles (along withTelamon andOicles ) happened to arrive on their return from the expedition against the Amazons. Seeing her exposed, Heracles promised to save her on condition that Laomedon would give him the wonderful horses he had received fromZeus as compensation for Zeus' kidnapping of Ganymede. Laomedon agreed and Heracles slew the monster, in some accounts after being swallowed by it and hacking at its innards for three days before it died and he emerged having lost all his hair. However, Laomedon refused the promised award. In a later expedition Heracles attacked Troy, slew Laomedon and all Laomedon's sons except the youngest named Podarces. Heracles gave Laomedon's daughter Hesione as a prize to Telamon instead of keeping her for himself. He allowed her to take with her any captives that she wished and she chose her brother Podarces. Heracles allowed her to ransom him in exchange for his veil whence Podarces was henceforth known asPriam from "primai" 'to buy'. Heracles then bestowed the government of Troy on Priam. However, it is also claimed that Priam simply happened to be absent during Heracles attack on Troy, being campaigning in Phrygia.Hesione was taken home by Telamon, married him and bore him a son
Teucer , half-brother to Telamon's son Ajax from his first marriage. Priam later sent Antenor andAnchises to Greece to demand Hesione's return, but they were rejected and driven away, hence the willingness of Priam later to accept the abduction of Helen.Others named Hesione
Hesione was an
Oceanid who became wife ofPrometheus according to bothAcusilaus andAeschylus (in "Prometheus Bound"). Hesione was also the name of the wife of Nauplius according to Cercops as cited byApollodorus (2.1.5). The name "Hesione" inDictys Cretensis 4.22 appears to be an error for "Plesione" of Dictys 1.9 and that in turn an error for "Pleione".
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