batch.motif.greek-hesiod-homeric-hymns-evelyn-white-gutenberg-l3529-l3639
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-hesiod-homeric-hymns-evelyn-white-gutenberg-l3529-l3639
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
passage_locator:
label: THE GREAT WORKS / THE IDAEAN DACTYLS / THE THEOGONY / THE CATALOGUES OF WOMEN
AND EOIAE1701; lines 3529-3639
start: '3529'
end: '3639'
translation: Hesiod, the Homeric Hymns, and Homerica
notes: Generated from OpenAI Batch run motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority;
human review required.
canonical_text:
quote: ''
summary: The passage preserves fragmentary material concerning Hippomenes' contest
with Atalanta, in which golden apples associated with Aphrodite distract her and
allow him to escape death; brief genealogical and mythographic notices about Danaus,
Aegyptus, and the daughters of Proetus; accounts of the Proetids' madness and
bodily affliction after rejecting divine rites or scorning a goddess, followed
by cure by Melampus; and an extended account of Europa, whom Zeus deceives or
abducts, gives a golden necklace, mates with in Crete, and fathers Minos, Rhadamanthys,
and Sarpedon. Sarpedon receives honors from Zeus, long life, kingship in Lycia,
and a heavenly star-sign connected with his return before his role at Troy.
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Atalanta is described as a beautiful, fierce-gazing, swift-footed maiden watched
in silence by a gathered throng.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Schoeneus announces that Hippomenes seeks his daughter in marriage and must
win her through a contest in which victory brings marriage and horses, while failure
involves death.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:3
text: Atalanta runs while scorning the gifts of golden Aphrodite, and Hippomenes'
race is explicitly said to be for his life.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: Hippomenes offers or invokes glorious gifts of golden Aphrodite to Atalanta,
casts three apples during the race, and escapes death and black fate when Atalanta
turns back to seize them.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: Danaus is credited with making waterless Argos well-watered.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: Aegyptus is said to have sent his fifty sons to Argos rather than going himself.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:7
text: The daughters of Proetus fall mad because they would not receive Dionysus'
rites, according to one notice.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:8
text: Another notice says the daughters of Proetus were overcome with madness after
scorning Juno and believed they had been turned into cows before leaving Argos.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:9
text: The daughters of Proetus are said to have been cured by Melampus, son of Amythaon.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:10
text: A further description says a fearful itch, leprosy, hair loss, and bare scalps
afflicted the daughters of Proetus.
category: attribute
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:11
text: Europa crosses the briny water to Crete after being beguiled by Zeus' wiles;
Zeus secretly snatches her away and gives her a golden necklace made by Hephaestus.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:12
text: Zeus mates with Europa far from her home and then departs; Europa bears Minos,
Rhadamanthys, and Sarpedon to Zeus.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: obs:13
text: Zeus gives honors to his sons by Europa; Sarpedon receives kingship in Lycia,
the sceptre of Zeus, long life over three generations, and later leadership of
Lycian allies at Troy.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:14
text: Zeus sends Sarpedon a star from heaven as a sign connected with the return
of his dear son.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: obs:15
text: A scholion recounts that Zeus sees Europa gathering flowers with nymphs, changes
into a bull, breathes a crocus from his mouth, deceives her, carries her over
the sea to Crete, and fathers three sons by her.
category: sequence
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Atalanta
description: The trim-ankled, peerless, swift-footed daughter of Schoeneus who runs
in the contest.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Hippomenes
description: The suitor of Atalanta who races for his life and uses apples associated
with Aphrodite's gifts.
role_refs:
- role:3
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Schoeneus
description: Atalanta's father, who declares the terms of Hippomenes' contest.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Golden Aphrodite
description: The goddess whose gifts are mentioned in connection with Atalanta and
Hippomenes' apples.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Danaus
description: Figure credited with making waterless Argos well-watered.
role_refs:
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Aegyptus
description: Figure said to have sent his fifty sons to Argos.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Sons of Aegyptus
description: Fifty sons sent by Aegyptus to Argos.
role_refs:
- role:9
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Daughters of Proetus
description: Women who fall mad, believe themselves turned into cows in one account,
leave Argos, and suffer bodily afflictions in another notice.
role_refs:
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Dionysus
description: God whose rites the daughters of Proetus are said not to receive in
one account.
role_refs:
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: Juno
description: Goddess whose divinity the daughters of Proetus are said to have scorned
in another account.
role_refs:
- role:11
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: Melampus son of Amythaon
description: Healer who cures the daughters of Proetus.
role_refs:
- role:12
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:12
name_or_label: Europa
description: Daughter of Phoenix, deceived or snatched by Zeus, taken to Crete,
and mother of Minos, Rhadamanthys, and Sarpedon.
role_refs:
- role:13
- role:14
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: fig:13
name_or_label: Zeus
description: Father of gods and men who abducts or deceives Europa, gives the golden
necklace, fathers her sons, and grants honors and signs to Sarpedon.
role_refs:
- role:15
- role:16
- role:17
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
- id: fig:14
name_or_label: Hephaestus
description: Craftsman who made the golden necklace later given to Europa.
role_refs:
- role:18
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:15
name_or_label: Minos
description: Son born to Europa and Zeus, described as a glorious leader and ruler.
role_refs:
- role:19
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:16
name_or_label: Rhadamanthys
description: Son born to Europa and Zeus, called just.
role_refs:
- role:19
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: fig:17
name_or_label: Sarpedon
description: Son born to Europa and Zeus; ruler in Lycia, recipient of Zeus' honors,
and leader of Lycian allies at Troy.
role_refs:
- role:19
- role:20
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
roles:
- id: role:1
label: swift maiden in contest
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Atalanta is repeatedly called swift-footed and participates in the race.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:2
label: marriage prize and competitor
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: Schoeneus says Hippomenes seeks his daughter as wife, and she runs in the
contest.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:3
label: suitor under death-stakes
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Hippomenes seeks Atalanta to wife and the race is said to be for his life.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:4
label: user of guile and apples
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: He speaks with thoughts of guile and casts three apples during the race.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:5
label: father and contest-setter
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Schoeneus speaks publicly and sets the conditions for winning his daughter.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:6
label: divine source of gifts
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: The passage names the gifts of golden Aphrodite in the race context.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:7
label: water-bringer to Argos
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Danaus is credited with making Argos well-watered.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:8
label: sender of sons
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: Aegyptus sends his fifty sons to Argos.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:9
label: delegated sons
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: The fifty sons are sent to Argos by Aegyptus.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: role:10
label: women punished with madness and affliction
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: The daughters of Proetus are described as mad, cow-believing, and physically
afflicted.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: role:11
label: offended deity
assigned_to:
- fig:9
- fig:10
basis: One notice attributes the madness to refusal of Dionysus' rites, another
to scorning Juno's divinity.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:12
label: healer
assigned_to:
- fig:11
basis: Melampus is said to cure the daughters of Proetus.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:13
label: abducted or deceived woman
assigned_to:
- fig:12
basis: Europa is beguiled, secretly snatched, or deceived and carried over the sea
to Crete.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: role:14
label: mother of Zeus' sons
assigned_to:
- fig:12
basis: Europa bears Minos, Rhadamanthys, and Sarpedon to Zeus.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: role:15
label: divine abductor and deceiver
assigned_to:
- fig:13
basis: Zeus beguiles, snatches, and in the scholion changes into a bull to deceive
Europa.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: role:16
label: divine father
assigned_to:
- fig:13
basis: Zeus fathers Europa's sons and grants them honors.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- id: role:17
label: sender of heavenly sign
assigned_to:
- fig:13
basis: Zeus sends Sarpedon a star from heaven as a sign.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
- id: role:18
label: divine craftsman
assigned_to:
- fig:14
basis: Hephaestus is said to have made the golden necklace by cunning skill.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: role:19
label: divinely fathered son
assigned_to:
- fig:15
- fig:16
- fig:17
basis: Minos, Rhadamanthys, and Sarpedon are born to Europa and Zeus.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: role:20
label: honored warrior-king
assigned_to:
- fig:17
basis: Sarpedon rules Lycia, receives Zeus' honor, leads Lycian allies, and fights
at Troy.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: apples in race
literal_form: Three apples cast to the ground by Hippomenes during the race with
Atalanta.
associated_figures:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:4
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:2
label: golden necklace
literal_form: A golden necklace made by Hephaestus and given by Zeus to Europa.
associated_figures:
- fig:12
- fig:13
- fig:14
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- id: sym:3
label: watered Argos
literal_form: Argos changed from waterless to well-watered.
associated_figures:
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs:
- water
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:4
label: cow transformation belief
literal_form: The daughters of Proetus believe they have been turned into cows.
associated_figures:
- fig:8
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: sym:5
label: bull form of Zeus
literal_form: Zeus changes himself into a bull in the Europa account.
associated_figures:
- fig:12
- fig:13
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: sym:6
label: crocus breath
literal_form: Zeus, in bull form, breathes a crocus from his mouth.
associated_figures:
- fig:13
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
- id: sym:7
label: star from heaven
literal_form: A star sent by Zeus from heaven as a sign for Sarpedon.
associated_figures:
- fig:13
- fig:17
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Atalanta and Hippomenes' fatal race
summary: Schoeneus sets a contest for Hippomenes to win Atalanta; during the race
Hippomenes uses apples associated with Aphrodite's gifts, and Atalanta turns aside
to seize them, allowing him to escape death.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
- fig:3
- fig:4
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: scene:2
label: Argive genealogical notices
summary: Short notices state that Danaus made Argos well-watered and that Aegyptus
sent his fifty sons to Argos.
figure_refs:
- fig:5
- fig:6
- fig:7
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: scene:3
label: Madness and cure of the daughters of Proetus
summary: The daughters of Proetus are said to suffer madness after rejecting or
scorning a deity, to believe they are cows in one account, to experience bodily
affliction in another, and to be cured by Melampus.
figure_refs:
- fig:8
- fig:9
- fig:10
- fig:11
symbol_refs:
- sym:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: scene:4
label: Europa taken to Crete by Zeus
summary: Zeus deceives or snatches Europa, gives her a golden necklace, carries
or brings her across the sea to Crete, mates with her, and fathers Minos, Rhadamanthys,
and Sarpedon.
figure_refs:
- fig:12
- fig:13
- fig:14
- fig:15
- fig:16
- fig:17
symbol_refs:
- sym:2
- sym:5
- sym:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:8
- id: scene:5
label: Sarpedon's honors and heavenly sign
summary: Zeus grants Sarpedon honor, long life, kingship over Lycia, and a heavenly
star-sign; Sarpedon later leads Lycian allies at Troy.
figure_refs:
- fig:13
- fig:17
symbol_refs:
- sym:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: deadly bridal contest won by guileful gifts
taxonomy_refs:
- initiation
- sacred_exchange
basis: Hippomenes must win Atalanta through a contest where failure means death;
he uses apples described in connection with Aphrodite's gifts to escape death
and black fate.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage is fragmentary and does not fully state all rules or the final
marriage outcome within the preserved lines.
- id: motif:2
label: divine punishment for rejecting cult or deity
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_judgment
basis: The daughters of Proetus fall mad because they refuse Dionysus' rites in
one notice, while another says they are overcome with madness after scorning Juno's
divinity.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: The passage preserves multiple variant explanations rather than a single
unified account.
- id: motif:3
label: healer cures divinely caused madness
taxonomy_refs:
- wisdom
basis: Melampus cures the daughters of Proetus after their madness and related afflictions.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
confidence: medium
cautions: The excerpt gives the cure notice briefly and does not describe Melampus'
method.
- id: motif:4
label: god abducts or deceives beloved across the sea
taxonomy_refs:
- stolen_beloved
- divine_beloved
basis: Europa is beguiled or deceived by Zeus, secretly snatched or carried over
the sea to Crete, and becomes his sexual partner.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: The account is preserved through fragmentary and scholastic testimony
with variant phrasing.
- id: motif:5
label: god changes form to deceive a mortal woman
taxonomy_refs:
- shapeshifter
basis: The scholion says Zeus changed himself into a bull and thereby deceived Europa.
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: This detail appears in the scholion rather than in the longer papyrus
fragment as quoted here.
- id: motif:6
label: divine union produces royal or heroic sons
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_birth
- divine_parent_child
- royal_legitimacy
basis: Europa bears Minos, Rhadamanthys, and Sarpedon to Zeus; Sarpedon receives
rulership and honor from Zeus.
evidence_refs:
- ev:6
- ev:7
- ev:8
confidence: high
cautions: The passage emphasizes Sarpedon's honors more fully than those of Minos
and Rhadamanthys.
- id: motif:7
label: heavenly sign sent by divine father
taxonomy_refs:
- divine_parent_child
basis: Zeus sends a star from heaven as a sign for his dear son Sarpedon.
evidence_refs:
- ev:7
confidence: medium
cautions: The preserved text is damaged around the exact meaning of the sign and
return.
- id: motif:8
label: culture figure brings water to a dry place
taxonomy_refs:
- culture_hero
basis: Danaus is credited with making waterless Argos well-watered.
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
confidence: medium
cautions: The notice is very brief and lacks narrative context.
comparison_claims:
- id: claim:1
claim: The Europa abduction and divine-birth narrative is explicitly reported as
a tale found in Hesiod and Bacchylides.
claim_level: same_motif
target: Europa tale in Hesiod and Bacchylides
evidence_refs:
- ev:8
counter_evidence_refs: []
confidence: medium
limitations: The passage gives this as a scholion's statement and does not quote
Bacchylides directly.
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 3529-3548
quote_or_summary: Atalanta appears before a silent crowd; Schoeneus says Hippomenes
seeks his daughter and must win her by contest, with marriage and horses as reward
if he escapes death.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 3551-3565
quote_or_summary: Atalanta runs while scorning Aphrodite's gifts; Hippomenes races
for life or doom, speaks with guile, and casts three apples, which Atalanta seizes,
allowing him to escape death and black fate.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: summary
locator: lines 3567-3575
quote_or_summary: Brief notices mention Arabus' daughter, Danaus making waterless
Argos well-watered, and Aegyptus sending fifty sons to Argos.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 3577-3591
quote_or_summary: The daughters of Proetus are sought in marriage by Panhellenes;
notices say they fell mad for rejecting Dionysus' rites or scorning Juno, believed
they became cows, left Argos, and were later cured by Melampus.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 3593-3596
quote_or_summary: A notice describes the daughters of Proetus as losing beauty and
suffering itch, leprosy, hair loss, and bare scalps.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:6
type: summary
locator: lines 3598-3615
quote_or_summary: Europa crosses the briny water to Crete, beguiled by Zeus; Zeus
secretly snatches her, gives her a golden necklace made by Hephaestus, mates with
her, departs, and she bears Minos, Rhadamanthys, and Sarpedon.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:7
type: summary
locator: lines 3615-3630
quote_or_summary: Zeus gives honors to Europa's sons; Sarpedon rules Lycia with
Zeus' sceptre, is granted life over three generations, receives a star-sign from
heaven, leads Lycians to Troy, and fights alongside Hector.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
- id: ev:8
type: summary
locator: lines 3632-3639
quote_or_summary: A scholion says Zeus saw Europa gathering flowers, changed into
a bull, breathed a crocus, deceived and carried her across the sea to Crete, fathered
Minos, Sarpedon, and Rhadamanthys, and that the tale is in Hesiod and Bacchylides.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain translation; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: medium
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: medium
notes: The passage contains fragmentary quotations, lacunae, and later testimonia.
Literal extraction is reliable at the level of the provided summaries, but several
motif assignments are cautious because the preserved context is incomplete.
reviewer_status:
status: needs_review
reviewer: ''
reviewed_at: ''
notes: Machine-generated draft from OpenAI Batch; not human-reviewed.
extracted_by: openai_batch:gpt-5.5
extracted_at: '2026-04-28'
notes: |-
No figures, motifs, or taxonomy references were added beyond what is supported by the supplied passage and available taxonomy list.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-hesiod-homeric-hymns-evelyn-white-gutenberg__l3529-l3639
passage_sha256=01c106594fb28eacde878e2bc0281a3f29cb0cd07775e5a432182a75699f006a