Haimon (Thebes)
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Haimon ( Greek Αἵμων ) is the son of Creon in Greek mythology . In the tragedy Antigone by Sophocles , his mother is Eurydice .
In the Oidipodeia ascribed to the Kinaithon , a Cyclic epic from the 8th – 6th centuries. Century BC BC, Haimon was the loveliest and most beautiful of the boys who were strangled and devoured by the Sphinx .
In the Greek tragedy of the 5th century BC His fate, however, took a different course.
When Oedipus resigned as king of Thebes , he gave the kingdom to his two sons, Eteocles and Polynices , who agreed to rule annually in turn. After the first year, however, Eteocles refused to resign, which is why Polynices attacked Thebes with his allies (the Seven against Thebes ). Both brothers perished in battle.
Creon, who then ascended the throne of Thebes, forbade burying Polynices because he had fought against his native city. Antigone , Polynices' sister, disregarded the order but was caught.
From here the versions diverge. In tragedy Antigone by Sophocles possessed Creon that Antigone - was to be buried alive as punishment - although engaged to his son Haimon. She hanged herself to avoid this fate; when Haimon found her body, he also committed suicide.
On the other hand, Dionysus intervened in a tragedy of Euripides after the verdict was pronounced and caused Creon to let Antigone live and to give Haimon as his wife. After Hygin, in turn, Creon ordered his son to kill Antigone. Haimon brought her to shepherds in the country and lived there with her in secret marriage. Years later a son from this union went to Thebes; However, Creon recognized his origin from a birthmark. In vain even Heracles stood up for the escaped lovers; whereupon Haimon killed himself and his wife.
literature
- Otto Kern : Haimon 9. In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume VII, 2, Stuttgart 1912, column 2218 ( digitized version ).
- Heinrich Wilhelm Stoll : Haimon 7 . In: Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher (Hrsg.): Detailed lexicon of Greek and Roman mythology . Volume 1,2, Leipzig 1890, Sp. 1816 ( digitized ).
- Heinrich Wilhelm Stoll: Antigone 1 . In: Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher (Hrsg.): Detailed lexicon of Greek and Roman mythology . Volume 1.1, Leipzig 1886, Col. 371-373 ( digitized version ).
