Editing Canace

{{Short description|Greek mythological figure}}
{{for-multi|the genus of beach flies|Canace (fly)|the play by Sperone Speroni|Canace (play)}}
[[File:BnF Français 874 fol. 40r.jpg|thumb|Canace contemplating suicide.]]
In [[Greek mythology]], '''Canace''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|æ|n|ə|ˌ|s|iː}}; {{Langx|grc|Κανάκη|Kanákē|barking}}) was a [[Ancient Thessaly|Thessalian]] princess as daughter of King [[Aeolus (son of Hellen)|Aeolus]] of Aeolia and [[Enarete]], daughter of [[Deïmachus (mythology)|Deimachus]].<ref>[[Hesiod]], ''[[Catalogue of Women|Ehoiai]]'' fr. 10(a) Pap. Turner, fr. 1-3, col. I-II, 25-75</ref> She was sometimes referred to as Aeolis.<ref>[[Callimachus]], ''Hymn to Demeter'' 100</ref>

== Family ==
Canace was the sister of [[Athamas]], [[Cretheus]], [[Deioneus]], [[Magnes (mythology)|Magnes]], [[Perieres]], [[Salmoneus]], [[Sisyphus]], [[Alcyone and Ceyx|Alcyone]], [[Calyce (mythology)|Calyce]], [[Pisidice|Peisidice]], [[Perimede (mythology)|Perimede]]<ref>[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+1.7.3&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:book=1:chapter=7&highlight=Canace 1.7.3]</ref> [[Arne (daughter of Aeolus)|Arne]] and possibly [[Tanagra (mythology)|Tanagra]].<ref>[[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+9.20.1&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0160:book=:chapter=&highlight=Tanagra 9.20.1]</ref> As the lover of [[Poseidon]], she was the mother of [[Aloeus]], [[Epopeus of Sicyon|Epopeus]], [[Hopleus]], [[Nireus (mythology)|Nireus]] and [[Triopas]].<ref>Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+1.7.4&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0022:book=1:chapter=7&highlight=Canace 1.7.4]; Callimachus, ''Hymn to Demeter'' [https://topostext.org/work/125#96 99]: Triopas mentioned Canace as his mother by Poseidon</ref>

== Mythology ==
In ancient Greek mythology, Canace is often described as a lover of Poseidon, and the mother of multiple of his children. However, in another, more famous myth, Canace was not Poseidon's lover, but was instead in a relationship with her brother [[Macareus (son of Aeolus)|Macareus]]. 

In this tradition, the pair are the children of a different Aeolus, the lord of the winds (or the [[Tyrrhenia]]n king),<ref>These two are barely distinct characters in any case; see the article on [[Aeolus]] for discussion</ref> and his wife [[Amphithea]]. Canace fell in love with Macareus and the pair shared an [[Incest|incestuous]] relationship, which resulted in her getting pregnant. Macareus promised to marry Canace but never did. Eventually Canace gave birth privately, accompanied only by her nurse. When Canace instructed the nurse to carry the baby from the room in a basket under the pretense that it was a sacred ritual offering, the nurse had to pass through the throne room where Aeolus sat. Just before she was able to make it out of the room, the baby began to cry, alerting Aeolus. Upon discovering the child, the king was outraged and compelled Canace to commit [[suicide]] as punishment, and sent her a sword with which she was to stab herself. Canace then committed suicide and the newborn child was [[Exposure (infant)|exposed]] to die.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Commentary on the Heroides of Ovid: Canace Macareo |url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0061:poem=11 |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Perseus Digital Library}}</ref> 

This story was told by [[Latin]] poet [[Ovid]] in the ''[[Heroides]]'', a selection of eighteen story-poems that pretend to be letters from mythological women to their lovers and ex-lovers.<ref>[[Ovid]], ''[[Heroides]]'' [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Ov.+Ep.+Sapph.+11&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0085:book=:chapter=&highlight=Canace 11]</ref> The story is also briefly referred to by Hyginus<ref>[[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''Fabulae'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#238 238]: Aeolus killed Canace; [https://topostext.org/work/206#242 242]: Macareus killed himself after Canace's death & [https://topostext.org/work/206#243 243]: Canace kills herself over her forbidden love for Macareus</ref> and retold by [[Pseudo-Plutarch]], in whose account Macareus kills himself over the matter as well.<ref>[[Pseudo-Plutarch]], ''Parallela minora'' [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Plut.+Para.+28&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2008.01.0219:book=:chapter=&highlight=Macareus 28]</ref> It was also the subject of [[Euripides]]'s lost play ''Aeolus'', on which the extant versions appear to be based.

Canace's story was also put to the stage in the verse tragedy ''[[Canace (play)|Canace]]'' (1588), by [[Italy|Italian]] playwright [[Sperone Speroni]], as well as being the subject of a tale in [[John Gower|Gower's]] ''[[Confessio Amantis]]''. She also gave her name to the heroine of [[Geoffrey Chaucer]]'s ''[[Squire's Tale]]''.

==In ancient art==
[[File:BnF Français 874 fol. 47v.jpg|thumb|Canace slaying herself with the sword given to her by her father.]]
#According to [[Pliny the Elder]] (35.99), a certain Aristeides from Thebes painted Canace dying from love to her brother ({{lang|grc|ἀναπαυομένην}} {{lang|la|propter fratris amorem}}). This image, not preserved, might be dated between 340 and 290 BCE.<ref>[[Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae|LIMC]] V.1, p. 951.</ref>
#Macareus' and Canace's story is found on a [[hydria]] from Lucania, now in the archeological museum of [[Bari]]. It is thought to illustrate some scenes from Euripides' lost tragedy ''Aeolus''.<ref>Reproduced in LIMC I.2. [http://ark.dasch.swiss/ark:/72163/080e-74ffbc8383898-4 See on Digital LIMC]</ref>
#There is also a [[fresco]] from Rome, making part of a series of women personnages (the others being [[Pasiphaë]], [[Phaedra (mythology)|Phaedra]] etc.). Canace is depicted with a sword in her hand. The series might be a copy of some Hellenistic painting.<ref>Reproduced in LIMC V.2. [http://ark.dasch.swiss/ark:/72163/080e-74347f1ffd4f0-d See on Digital LIMC]</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

== References ==
* [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]], ''The Library'' with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. ISBN 0-674-99135-4. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0022 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.] [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0021 Greek text available from the same website].
*[[Callimachus]], ''Hymns'' translated by Alexander William Mair (1875-1928). London: William Heinemann; New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 1921. [https://topostext.org/work/120 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
* [[Callimachus]], ''Works''. A.W. Mair. London: William Heinemann; New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 1921. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0481 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Hesiod]], ''Catalogue of Women'' from ''Homeric Hymns, Epic Cycle, Homerica'' translated by Evelyn-White, H G. Loeb Classical Library Volume 57. London: William Heinemann, 1914. [http://www.theoi.com/Text/HesiodCatalogues.html Online version at theio.com] 
* [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus'' translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies. [https://topostext.org/work/206 Online version at the Topos Text Project.]
* [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], ''Description of Greece'' with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A., in 4 Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918. {{ISBN|0-674-99328-4}}. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0160 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library]
*Pausanias, ''Graeciae Descriptio.'' ''3 vols''. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903.  [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0159 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
*[[Plutarch]], ''Moralia'' with an English Translation by Frank Cole Babbitt. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press. London. William Heinemann Ltd. 1936. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0219 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.] [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0217 Greek text available from the same website].
* [[Ovid|Publius Ovidius Naso]], ''The Epistles of Ovid.'' London. J. Nunn, Great-Queen-Street; R. Priestly, 143, High-Holborn; R. Lea, Greek-Street, Soho; and J. Rodwell, New-Bond-Street. 1813. [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0085%3Apoem%3D1 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.]

[[Category:Princesses in Greek mythology]]
[[Category:Aeolides]]
[[Category:Mythological Thessalians]]
[[Category:Thessalian mythology]]
[[Category:Suicides in Greek mythology]]
[[Category:Women of Poseidon]]
[[Category:Mythological people involved in incest]]
[[Category:Infanticide]]