batch.motif.greek-hesiod-homeric-hymns-evelyn-white-gutenberg-l8251-l8291
---
record_id: batch.motif.greek-hesiod-homeric-hymns-evelyn-white-gutenberg-l8251-l8291
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
passage_locator:
label: THE TELEGONY / HOMERICA / THE EXPEDITION OF AMPHIARAUS / THE TAKING OF OECHALIA;
lines 8251-8291
start: '8251'
end: '8291'
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 testimonia and fragments about lost epic works:
Homer is said to have recited the Expedition of Amphiaraus and Hymns to the Gods;
accounts differ about the authorship or attribution of the Taking of Oechalia;
Heracles is said to have sacked Oechalia for Iole; there are notices about ragged
garments, the number of Eurytus'' sons, and a version in which Medea poisons Creon,
flees to Athens, leaves her young sons at Hera Acraea''s altar, and Creon''s relatives
kill them while blaming Medea.'
language: English
quote_policy: summarized
literal_observations:
- id: obs:1
text: Homer is described as sitting in a tanner's yard and reciting the Expedition
of Amphiaraus to Thebes and the Hymns to the Gods.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: obs:2
text: Eurytus and his daughter Iole are named in an account connected with Heracles'
sack of Oechalia.
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:3
text: Heracles is said to have sacked Oechalia for Iole's sake.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:4
text: The passage reports disagreement over whether Homer or Creophylus authored
or received attribution for the Taking of Oechalia.
category: speech
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: obs:5
text: A verse about ragged garments is said to occur both in Odyssey xiv.343 and
in the Taking of Oechalia.
category: object
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: obs:6
text: 'The passage reports disagreement about the number of Eurytus'' sons: Hesiod
gives four sons by Antioche, while Creophylus gives two.'
category: relationship
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: obs:7
text: In the account attributed to Creophylus, Medea poisons Creon while living
in Corinth.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:8
text: Medea flees to Athens because she fears Creon's friends and kinsfolk.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:9
text: Medea leaves her young sons at the altar of Hera Acraea, expecting their father
to protect them.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: obs:10
text: Creon's relatives kill Medea's sons and spread the story that Medea killed
both her children and Creon.
category: action
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
figures:
- id: fig:1
name_or_label: Homer
description: A poet said to have recited poems in a tanner's yard and to be associated
with the authorship or attribution of the Taking of Oechalia.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:2
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: fig:2
name_or_label: Amphiaraus
description: Named in the title Expedition of Amphiaraus to Thebes.
role_refs:
- role:3
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: fig:3
name_or_label: Eurytus
description: Father of Iole; his sons and woes are mentioned in notices about the
Taking of Oechalia.
role_refs:
- role:4
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- id: fig:4
name_or_label: Iole / Ioleia
description: Daughter of Eurytus; described as golden-haired in the quoted notice;
Heracles sacked Oechalia for her sake.
role_refs:
- role:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:5
name_or_label: Heracles
description: Sacker of Oechalia for Iole's sake.
role_refs:
- role:6
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: fig:6
name_or_label: Creophylus of Samos
description: A Samian associated with Homer as host or guest and with the authorship
or attribution of the Taking of Oechalia.
role_refs:
- role:1
- role:7
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- ev:4
- ev:5
- id: fig:7
name_or_label: Antioche
description: Named as mother, with Eurytus, of four sons in Hesiod's version.
role_refs:
- role:8
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: fig:8
name_or_label: Medea
description: In Creophylus' account, she poisons Creon, flees Corinth for Athens,
and leaves her sons at Hera Acraea's altar.
role_refs:
- role:9
- role:10
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:9
name_or_label: Creon
description: Ruler of Corinth poisoned by Medea; his relatives later kill Medea's
sons and blame her.
role_refs:
- role:11
- role:12
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:10
name_or_label: Medea's sons
description: Young sons left by Medea at Hera Acraea's altar and killed by Creon's
relatives.
role_refs:
- role:13
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:11
name_or_label: Hera Acraea
description: Goddess associated with the altar where Medea leaves her sons.
role_refs:
- role:14
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: fig:12
name_or_label: Relatives of Creon
description: Friends and kinsfolk feared by Medea; relatives who kill Medea's sons
and spread blame against her.
role_refs:
- role:15
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
roles:
- id: role:1
label: poet or attributed author
assigned_to:
- fig:1
- fig:6
basis: The passage links Homer and Creophylus to recitation, composition, or attribution
of poems.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- ev:2
- id: role:2
label: guest or named recipient of hospitality
assigned_to:
- fig:1
basis: One account says Homer was hosted by Creophylus; another says Homer lent
his name in return for entertainment.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:3
label: title-figure of expedition poem
assigned_to:
- fig:2
basis: Amphiaraus is named in the poem title Expedition of Amphiaraus to Thebes.
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: role:4
label: father and afflicted kingly figure
assigned_to:
- fig:3
basis: Eurytus is father of Iole and his woes are said to be sung in the poem.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:5
label: daughter whose sake prompts a sack
assigned_to:
- fig:4
basis: Iole is Eurytus' daughter, and Oechalia is said to have been sacked for her
sake.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:6
label: city-sacker
assigned_to:
- fig:5
basis: Heracles is explicitly said to have sacked Oechalia.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:7
label: host or competing authorial claimant
assigned_to:
- fig:6
basis: Creophylus is said either to have received attribution from Homer or to have
written the poem and received Homer's name for it.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: role:8
label: mother in genealogical variant
assigned_to:
- fig:7
basis: Hesiod is said to give Eurytus and Antioche four sons.
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: role:9
label: poisoner
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: Medea is said to have poisoned Creon.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:10
label: fugitive mother
assigned_to:
- fig:8
basis: Medea flees to Athens and leaves her young sons at an altar.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:11
label: poisoned ruler
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: Creon is called ruler of Corinth and is poisoned by Medea.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:12
label: subject of blame story
assigned_to:
- fig:9
basis: The relatives spread the story that Medea killed Creon as well as her children.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:13
label: children killed at sanctuary
assigned_to:
- fig:10
basis: Medea's young sons are left at Hera Acraea's altar and killed by Creon's
relatives.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:14
label: deity of altar refuge
assigned_to:
- fig:11
basis: The altar where the children are left belongs to Hera Acraea.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: role:15
label: avenging kin and false accusers
assigned_to:
- fig:12
basis: Creon's friends and kinsfolk are feared by Medea; his relatives kill the
children and spread blame against Medea.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
symbols:
- id: sym:1
label: Oechalia
literal_form: sacked city
associated_figures:
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: sym:2
label: ragged garments
literal_form: garments described as ragged
associated_figures: []
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:3
- id: sym:3
label: altar of Hera Acraea
literal_form: altar where young children are left for safety
associated_figures:
- fig:8
- fig:10
- fig:11
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:4
label: poison
literal_form: poison used by Medea against Creon
associated_figures:
- fig:8
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
- id: sym:5
label: Corinth and Athens
literal_form: city of residence and destination of flight
associated_figures:
- fig:8
- fig:9
taxonomy_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
scenes:
- id: scene:1
label: Recitation in the tanner's yard
summary: Homer sits in a tanner's yard and recites the Expedition of Amphiaraus
to Thebes and Hymns to the Gods.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:2
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:1
- id: scene:2
label: Authorship and hospitality traditions for the Taking of Oechalia
summary: The passage reports competing accounts in which Creophylus receives attribution
for the poem from Homer, or Homer lends his name to Creophylus' poem in return
for entertainment.
figure_refs:
- fig:1
- fig:6
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:3
label: Sack of Oechalia for Iole
summary: Eurytus and Iole are introduced in relation to the claim that Heracles
sacked Oechalia for Iole's sake.
figure_refs:
- fig:3
- fig:4
- fig:5
symbol_refs:
- sym:1
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
- id: scene:4
label: Genealogical disagreement over Eurytus' sons
summary: 'Authorities differ on the number of sons of Eurytus: Hesiod gives four
sons by Antioche, while Creophylus gives two.'
figure_refs:
- fig:3
- fig:6
- fig:7
symbol_refs: []
evidence_refs:
- ev:4
- id: scene:5
label: Medea's poisoning, flight, and children's deaths
summary: Medea poisons Creon in Corinth, flees to Athens, leaves her young sons
at Hera Acraea's altar, and Creon's relatives kill the boys and blame her.
figure_refs:
- fig:8
- fig:9
- fig:10
- fig:11
- fig:12
symbol_refs:
- sym:3
- sym:4
- sym:5
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
candidate_motifs:
- id: motif:1
label: city sacked for a woman
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Heracles sacks Oechalia for the sake of Eurytus' daughter Iole.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: medium
cautions: The passage gives only a brief testimonium and does not describe motive,
courtship, abduction, or battle details.
- id: motif:2
label: hospitality exchanged for poetic name or attribution
taxonomy_refs:
- sacred_exchange
basis: One account says Creophylus hosted Homer and received attribution of the
poem as a reward; another says Homer lent his name in return for entertainment.
evidence_refs:
- ev:2
confidence: medium
cautions: The taxonomy reference is broad; the passage concerns literary attribution
and hospitality rather than a clearly ritualized exchange.
- id: motif:3
label: flight after poisoning a ruler
taxonomy_refs:
- departure
basis: Medea poisons Creon, ruler of Corinth, and flees to Athens out of fear of
his friends and kinsfolk.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: The passage is a summarized variant and gives limited narrative detail.
- id: motif:4
label: children left at divine altar for protection and killed
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Medea leaves her young sons at Hera Acraea's altar expecting their father
to protect them, but Creon's relatives kill them.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: The passage does not state whether the altar itself fails, is violated,
or is understood as sanctuary beyond Medea's expectation.
- id: motif:5
label: false blame for child murder
taxonomy_refs: []
basis: Creon's relatives kill Medea's sons and spread the story that Medea killed
her own children as well as Creon.
evidence_refs:
- ev:5
confidence: high
cautions: The passage reports this as a version attributed to Creophylus and contrasts
with other traditions only implicitly.
comparison_claims: []
evidence:
- id: ev:1
type: summary
locator: lines 8251-8256
quote_or_summary: Pseudo-Herodotus says Homer sat in a tanner's yard and recited
the Expedition of Amphiaraus to Thebes and the Hymns to the Gods.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:2
type: summary
locator: lines 8259-8273
quote_or_summary: Eustathius reports an account of Eurytus and Iole, for whose sake
Heracles sacked Oechalia, and records competing claims about Homer and Creophylus
in relation to the Taking of Oechalia.
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:3
type: quote
locator: lines 8275-8277
quote_or_summary: '"Ragged garments, even those which now you see" is said to occur
also in the Taking of Oechalia.'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; short quotation.
- id: ev:4
type: summary
locator: lines 8279-8281
quote_or_summary: 'A scholion reports disagreement over Eurytus'' sons: Hesiod gives
Eurytus and Antioche four sons, while Creophylus gives two.'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
- id: ev:5
type: summary
locator: lines 8283-8291
quote_or_summary: 'A scholion reports Creophylus'' account: Medea poisons Creon
in Corinth, flees to Athens, leaves her young sons at Hera Acraea''s altar, and
Creon''s relatives kill them and blame Medea.'
source_text_path: texts/public-domain/greek/project-gutenberg/hesiod-homeric-hymns-homerica.md
rights_note: Public domain source; summarized.
confidence:
extraction: high
motif_candidates: medium
comparison_claims: uncertain
notes: The passage consists largely of testimonia and summaries of lost works, so
literal extraction is strong, but motif identification is limited by the fragmentary
and secondhand form.
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 comparison claims were added because the passage itself does not support a specific cross-textual comparison beyond naming variant authorities and works.
batch_run_id=motif-extraction-2026-04-28-high-priority
custom_id=motif_extract:greek-hesiod-homeric-hymns-evelyn-white-gutenberg__l8251-l8291
passage_sha256=c61b28b5276fb8b8eeae1260cdbb8eb0a28b6ac40b6e314f254a5b9c72165cdc