Editing Chryseis

{{Short description|Mythological Greek character}}
{{other uses|Chryseis (mythology)|Astynome}}
[[File:Chryseis returned to her Father 1865 1.jpeg|thumb|Chryseis returned to her father (1771) by Benjamin West]]
In [[Greek mythology]], '''Chryseis''' ({{IPAc-en|k|r|aɪ|ˈ|s|iː|ɪ|s|}}, {{langx|grc|Χρυσηΐς|translit=Khrusēís}}, {{IPA|el|kʰryːsɛːís|pron}}) is a [[Troy|Trojan]] woman, the daughter of [[Chryses]]. Chryseis, her apparent name in the ''[[Iliad]]'', means simply "Chryses' daughter"; later writers give her real name as '''Astynome''' ({{lang|grc|Ἀστυνόμη}}).<ref>''Scholia on the Iliad''; [[Hesychius of Alexandria|Hesychius]], ''Lexicon''; [[Malalas]], ''Chronographia'' 100; [[Eustathius of Thessalonica]], ''Commentary on the Iliad'' 1.123.9 van der Valk.</ref> The 12th-century poet [[John Tzetzes|Tzetzes]] describes her to be "very young and thin, with milky skin; had blond hair and small breasts; nineteen years old and still a virgin".<ref>[[John Tzetzes]]. ''[[iarchive:TzetzesANTEHOMERICA/page/n8|Antehomerica, 353-355]]''</ref>

As the "golden one" she is also the title-giving character of the Baroque alchemical epic [[Johannes Nicolaus Furichius#The «Chryseidos Libri IIII» of 1631|Chryseidos Libri IIII]] (1631).

== Mythology ==
Astynome was sent by her father for protection, or, according to others, to attend the celebration of a festival of Artemis in [[Cilician Thebe|Hypoplacian Thebe]] or in [[Lyrnessus]] where she was taken as prisoner by the [[Achaeans (tribe)|Achaeans]]. According to some, she was the wife of [[Eetion]], king of Lyrnessus (usually described as the ruler of nearby [[Cilician Thebe]]), who was killed by the son of [[Peleus]] during his campaigns against the allies of [[Troy]].<ref>[[Dictys Cretensis]]. ''Trojan War Chronicle, [https://topostext.org/work/152#2.17 2.17] & [https://topostext.org/work/152#2.19 2.19]''</ref> However, according to the Byzantine poet John Tzetzes, he suggests that it was [[Palamedes (mythology)|Palamedes]] that abducted Chryseis as well as [[Briseis]].

In the first book of the ''Iliad'', during the distribution of the booty, she was given to [[Agamemnon]] as a sex slave by unanimous decision, in view of his kingly office. He bragged that he preferred her as a bed-mate to his wife [[Clytemnestra]], because of her figure, her grace, and her skill at domestic tasks. Her father, the priest of [[Apollo]], came to the Achaeans' beachhead bearing the god's sacred symbols and offered the [[Mycenae]]an king and his army gifts of gold and silver.<ref>[[Dictys Cretensis]]. ''Trojan War Chronicle, [https://topostext.org/work/152#2.28 2.28]''</ref> Although the other warriors were eager to accept the ransom, Agamemnon rejected it. He treated the old man without the proper respect due to a priest, taunting him crassly with the image of the girl forever sharing his bed in distant Achaea, and sending him away rudely with threats of violence. Chryses, afraid, went apart and prayed on the beach for revenge. Apollo heard his prayer and, by means of his silver arrows, sent a plague sweeping through the Greek armies, so that Agamemnon was forced to give Astynome back in order to save his men from the disease. He sent [[Odysseus]] to return the maiden to Chryses. Agamemnon compensated himself for this loss by taking [[Briseis]] from Achilles. The offended Achilles refused to take further part in the [[Trojan War]].<ref>[[Homer]]. ''[[Iliad]], 1.378''</ref><ref>[[Eustathius of Thessalonica|Eustathius]] ''ad Homer''. ''Iliad, pp. 77, 118''</ref>

After the attack on [[Rhesus of Thrace|Rhesus]] and his [[Thracians|Thracian]] armies, Chryses came to the Greeks to thank them for returning his daughter, Astynome. Because of this kindness, and because he knew that his daughter had been properly treated, he brought her back for Agamemnon to have.<ref>[[Dictys Cretensis]]. ''Trojan War Chronicle, [https://topostext.org/work/152#2.47 2.47]''</ref> A later Greek legend, preserved in [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]]' ''[[Fabulae]]'', states that she had a son named after her father by Agamemnon. In the city of Thebes in [[Anatolia|Asia Minor]], Chryseis gave birth to [[Chryses (mythology)|Chryses]] and declared him to be a son of Apollo. This took place when she was released shortly as a prisoner and allowed to return to her hometown.

A few years later, when the children of Agamemnon, [[Orestes]] and [[Iphigenia]] took refuge in the Island of Sminthos, now the home of Chryseis and her family, she proposed surrendering the fugitives to King [[Thoas (king of the Taurians)|Thoas]]. Her son Chryses, learning they were his half-siblings, helped them to kill the [[Tauri]]an king.

In medieval literature, Chryseis is developed into the character [[Cressida]].

==See also==
* ''[[I Modi]]'', a work of erotic art which depicts her

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Characters in the Iliad}}

[[Category:Trojans]]
[[Category:Greek mythological slaves]]
[[Category:Women of the Trojan war]]