Dirce (4)

Biographical

Dirce is chiefly known from the story of Antiope, the niece of King Lycus of Thebes. Lycus had married Dirce as his second wife. Antiope was a prisoner of Lycus and was mistreated by him and Dirce. Dirce was jealous of Antiope’s beauty and had her kept in chains. Antiope later gave birth to twin sons, Amphion and Zethus, by Zeus. When they grew up, they overthrew and killed Lycus and took revenge on Dirce by tying her to a bull, which dragged her to death before her body was tossed into the water. Her body was transformed by Dionysus, in whose service she had been engaged, into a spring on Mount Cithaeron. He later drove Antiope to madness as punishment for Dirce’s death. A small river near Thebes likewise took its name from her. Hyginus makes Antiope the wife of Lycus, whom he repudiated after her infidelity, and then married Dirce.

Daughter of Helios, or of Achelus or Ismenus, she was married to Lycus, King of Thebes.