Dercetis (mythology)
Encyclopedia
Dercetis is the name of a nymph
in Greek mythology
. In Statius
' Thebaid, she is portrayed as a sexually aggressive figure who ravishes a youth named Lapithaon despite his being too young and not mature enough for a sexual relationship. From their union is born Alatreus, said to have later become a rival of his own father in terms of youthful good looks: the two could be easily mistaken for brothers thanks to the small age difference. The story of Dercetis, Lapithaon and Alatreus is told to Antigone
by her old tutor as she is asking him questions about participants of the battle of Seven Against Thebes
, Lapithaon and Alatreus being two of those. Further in the poem, it is noted of Alatreus that he was still a boy at the time, but already valiant enough for his father to be proud of him..
Nymph
A nymph in Greek mythology is a female minor nature deity typically associated with a particular location or landform. Different from gods, nymphs are generally regarded as divine spirits who animate nature, and are usually depicted as beautiful, young nubile maidens who love to dance and sing;...
in Greek mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
. In Statius
Statius
Publius Papinius Statius was a Roman poet of the 1st century CE . Besides his poetry in Latin, which include an epic poem, the Thebaid, a collection of occasional poetry, the Silvae, and the unfinished epic, the Achilleid, he is best known for his appearance as a major character in the Purgatory...
' Thebaid, she is portrayed as a sexually aggressive figure who ravishes a youth named Lapithaon despite his being too young and not mature enough for a sexual relationship. From their union is born Alatreus, said to have later become a rival of his own father in terms of youthful good looks: the two could be easily mistaken for brothers thanks to the small age difference. The story of Dercetis, Lapithaon and Alatreus is told to Antigone
Antigone
In Greek mythology, Antigone is the daughter of Oedipus and Jocasta, Oedipus' mother. The name may be taken to mean "unbending", coming from "anti-" and "-gon / -gony" , but has also been suggested to mean "opposed to motherhood", "in place of a mother", or "anti-generative", based from the root...
by her old tutor as she is asking him questions about participants of the battle of Seven Against Thebes
Seven Against Thebes
The Seven against Thebes is the third play in an Oedipus-themed trilogy produced by Aeschylus in 467 BC. The trilogy is sometimes referred to as the Oedipodea. It concerns the battle between an Argive army led by Polynices and the army of Thebes led by Eteocles and his supporters. The trilogy won...
, Lapithaon and Alatreus being two of those. Further in the poem, it is noted of Alatreus that he was still a boy at the time, but already valiant enough for his father to be proud of him..