Danaos - Danaos (English spelling)

He is the father of the 50 daughters of the Danaides in Greek mythology. He was the son of the Egyptian king Belos, and is also the eponym of the Danauids, who are another name for the Greeks in Homer. His twin brother Aegyptus had 50 sons who proposed marriage to Danaus' 50 daughters. However, Danaus, along with his daughters who disliked the proposals, built a ship and fled to Argos, following the advice of the goddess Athena. This is said to have been done in accordance with an oracle, or as a result of a dispute with Aegyptus. He was handed over the throne to King Geranor of Argos, and the inhabitants of that land were called Danauids. Aegyptus' sons continued to pursue him, asking for marriage, so Danaus reluctantly agreed to this and secretly gave his daughters daggers and ordered them to stab their husbands to death when they were asleep at night. Only Hypermnestra was not killed because her groom Lynceus did not force her virginity, but the other daughters killed their partners and held funerals. Danaus therefore imprisoned Hypermnestra, but later forgave her and made her the king of Argos together with Lynceus. It is said that the daughters of Danaus who killed their grooms are punished in hell by having to keep filling a vessel with water after death.

[Teruo Ito]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ギリシア神話に出てくる50人の娘たちダナイデスDanaidesの父。エジプト王ベロスの子で、ホメロスではギリシア人の異称とされているダナオイ人の名祖(なおや)でもある。彼の双子の兄弟アイギプトスには50人の息子たちがおり、彼らはダナオスの50人の娘たちに求婚した。しかしダナオスは、この求婚を嫌う娘たちとともに女神アテネの忠告に従って船をつくり、アルゴスへと逃れる。これは神託に従ったとも、アイギプトスと争った結果ともいわれる。アルゴス王ゲラノルに王位を譲られ、これよりその地の住民はダナオイとよばれた。アイギプトスの息子たちがなおも結婚を求めて追ってきたため、やむなくダナオスはいったんこれに同意し、娘たちにひそかに短剣を与えて、深夜夫が寝静まったとき刺し殺すように命じた。ヒペルムネストラのみは、花婿のリンケウスがその処女を強要しなかったので殺さなかったが、他の娘たちはことごとく相手を殺して葬儀を営んだ。そのためダナオスはヒペルムネストラを幽閉したが、のちに彼女を許してリンケウスとともにアルゴスの王位を継がせた。花婿を殺したダナオスの娘たちは、死後地獄で穴のあいた容器に水を満たし続けるという劫罰(こうばつ)を受けているといわれる。

［伊藤照夫］

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