Galaxy/The codex of Sthenele

In Greek mythology, Sthenele (Ancient Greek Σθενέλη) was a princess of Iolcus, daughter of King Acastus. In Apollodorus' account of Achilles' companions she is mother of Patroclus by Menoetius of Opus — one of several named mothers for the hero who later dies in Achilles' armour at Troy.

Adapted from Wikipedia, "Sthenele" · CC BY-SA 4.0

I.Mother of Patroclus

Apollodorus (Bibliotheca 3.13.8) lists Sthenele daughter of Acastus among the women said to have borne Patroclus to Menoetius. The same passage records rival mothers — Periopis daughter of Pheres, or Polymele daughter of Peleus according to Philocrates — so her maternity is a disputed fork, not a universal fact.

Scholia on Apollonius and Homer preserve the Acastid strand. After the dice-quarrel at Opus in which Patroclus killed a playmate, he was reared in Peleus' house beside Achilles — the companionship that defines the Iliad.

II.Homonyms

This node (sthenele-acastus) is Acastus' daughter only. She is not Sthenele the Danaid who married and killed Sthenelus son of Aegyptus (sthenele-danaid).

AT A GLANCE

Greek nameSthenelē (Σθενέλη)
Typemortal
Domainsdaughter of Acastus · mother of Patroclus
ParentageAcastus
EtymologySthenélē shares the sthenos ("strength, might") root with names such as Sthenelus and Stheneboea.
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