Themisto
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the moon of Jupiter, see Themisto (moon).
- For the Planktonic crustacean Amphipod genus, see Themisto gaudichaudii.
In Greek mythology, Themisto was the third and last wife of Athamas. She had five children by him (Apollodorus, I, 9, 2): Leucon, Erythrius, Schoeneus, Ptous, and Porphyrion. In other sources there were but two: Sphincius and Orchomenus.
When Athamus returned to his second wife, Ino, Themisto dressed all her own children in white clothing, and Ino's in black. Themisto then proceeded to kill all the black-clothed children, as an act of revenge against Athamus.
What Themisto did not realise was that Ino had switched the children's clothing, and so she in fact killed her own children (except, apparently, for Schoeneus).
She is also said to have born Poseidon a daughter, Leuconoe.
There were two other characters named Themisto:
1. Themisto was a daughter of the river god Inachus, and become the mother of Ister (the river Danube) by Zeus.
2. Themisto one of the Nereids
