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/Sons 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.