Creusa
In Greek mythology, Creusa (Ancient Greek: Κρέουσα, "princess") was the daughter of Priam and Hecuba. She was the first wife of Aeneas and mother to Ascanius (also known as Iulus).
Mythology
Creusa's death at the will of the gods is dealt with briefly by Virgil in his Aeneid. As Troy is falling to the Greeks, Aeneas goes to his home to lead his father Anchises, Creusa, and their son Ascanius out of the city and into the countryside. Anchises refuses to leave the house, prompting Aeneas to decide that he will stay in Troy so that he may die honourably in battle, rather than abandon his father.
Creusa grabs his feet and begs him to think of what would become of Ascanius, Anchises and herself if Aeneas were to be killed. As she does this, Ascanius catches fire with an un-earthly flame. The flame is quickly doused with water. Anchises believes this to be an omen from Jupiter, who confirms this omen by sending a shooting star. Anchises now agrees to flee Troy.
The family leaves the home, Aeneas carrying his father and Ascanius holding his hand, while Creusa is to follow some distance behind them. As they flee through the city, they reach the gates and begin to run, after noticing that the Greeks appear to be gaining on them. Creusa disappears, unable to keep up with them. After reaching Ceres’ temple outside of the city, Aeneas leaves Anchises and Ascanius there to go back in search of Creusa.
As he searches the city in desperation, he meets the shade, or ghost, of Creusa, who tells him that it was her fate to remain in Troy. She predicts his journey to Hesperia, Italy and future marriage to another. She asks that Aeneas take care of their child and vanishes. Aeneas tries three times to hold her, each time failing to grasp her shade.
This is the tale told by Virgil, in the Aeneid, but this leaves lots of questions of how Creusa came to die, who buried her, and who allowed her to return to speak to Aeneas. Some writers therefore tell that Creusa was not killed in the Sacking of Troy, but was instead rescued by the goddess Aphrodite, Creusa’ mother in law, and so it was not the ghost of Creusa that Aeneas spoke to, but a divine manifestation of some sort, arranged by Aphrodite.
Pausanias relates that Rhea and Aphrodite rescued Creusa from being enslaved by the Greeks on account of her being the wife of Aeneas (who was a son of Aphrodite).
The name Creusa In Greek Mythology
In Greek mythology, Creusa may refer to the following figures:
Creusa, a naiad daughter of Gaia.
Creusa, daughter of Erechtheus, King of Athens and his wife, Praxithea.
Creusa, also known by the name Glauce, was the daughter of King Creon of Corinth, Greece.
Creusa, an Amazon spearwoman in a painting on a vase from Cumae that depicts a battle of the Amazons against Theseus and his army; she is portrayed as being overcome by Phylacus.
Creusa, daughter of Priam and Hecuba, was the first wife of Aeneas and mother to Ascanius (also known as Iulus)
Creusa, wife of the Carian Cassandrus and mother by him of Menes. Her son was killed by Neoptolemus in the Trojan War.
Creusa, a misnomer for Keroessa in the Etymologicum Magnum.
Sources
Bibliotheca 3. 12. 5
Hyginus, Fabulae, 90
Virgil, Aeneid, 2.674
Virgil, Aeneid, 2. 650 ff
Pausanias, Description of Greece, 10. 26. 1.
Pindar, Pythian Ode 9
Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca historica 4.69.1.
Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 3.15.1
Roscher, s. 1429
Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 3.12.5
Hyginus, Fabulae, 90
Quintus Smyrnaeus, Posthomerica 8.22
Etymologicum Magnum, 217. 26, under Byzantion
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