Herophile (second)

Also known as: the second Herophile · Role: prophetess · First appears: Book 10 · Chapter 12

The second Herophile was younger than Herophile, but lived before the Trojan War. In her oracles she foretold that Helen would be reared in Sparta, bringing ruin to Asia Minor and Europe, and that the Greeks would take Ilium because of her; she also foretold by dream to Hecuba what later came to pass.

She said she was Apollo’s wedded wife, sister and daughter, and called herself both Herophile and Artemis. She was said to be the daughter of Theodorus, a local shepherd, and a Nymph, and the inhabitants of Alexandria called her the sacristan of Sminthian Apollo. She died in the Troad and was buried near the grove of Sminthian Apollo.

Relationship record

Life events

• Herophile foretold Helen would be reared in Sparta, causing the ruin of Asia Minor and Europe.(Book 10 · Chapter 12 · 📍 Sparta)
  • With: Helen
  • “she foretold in her oracles that Helen would be reared in Sparta to the ruin of Asia Minor and Europe”
• Herophile foretold that the Greeks would take Ilium because of Helen.(Book 10 · Chapter 12 · 📍 Ilium)
  • “and that Ilium would be taken by the Greeks owing to her.”
• Herophile foretold to Hecuba by dream what later came to pass.(Book 10 · Chapter 12)
  • With: Hecuba
  • “she foretold by dream to Hecuba what we know really came about.”
• Herophile died in the Troad and was buried near the grove of Sminthian Apollo.(Book 10 · Chapter 12 · 📍 the Troad)
  • “Death came upon her in the Troad, her tomb is in the grove of Sminthian Apollo”

Book 10 · Chapter 12

• with Herophile (The second Herophile is explicitly described as younger than the first Herophile.) “The second Herophile was younger than her, but was herself clearly earlier than the Trojan War”
• married with Apollo “says she was Apollo’s wedded wife and sister and daughter”
• siblings with Apollo “says she was Apollo’s wedded wife and sister and daughter”
• parent: Apollo “says she was Apollo’s wedded wife and sister and daughter”
• with Helen (Herophile foretold Helen's role in the destruction of Asia Minor and Europe.) “she foretold in her oracles that Helen would be reared in Sparta to the ruin of Asia Minor and Europe”
• with Hecuba (Herophile foretold events to Hecuba in a dream.) “she foretold by dream to Hecuba what we know really came about”
• parent: Theodorus (This is the Erythræan account of Herophile's parentage.) “they say that she was the daughter of Theodorus (a local shepherd) and a Nymph”
• with Artemis (She claims the identity/name Artemis.) “she calls herself in her verses not only Herophile but also Artemis”
• with Apollo (Herophile is described as Apollo's sacristan.) “The inhabitants of Alexandria say that Herophile was the Sacristan of Sminthian Apollo”

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Extracted from the original text of Pausanias' Description of Greece. Made with Rho MD.