The Story of Tisiphone
Tisiphone was one of the three Furies, or Erinyes, born from the blood of Uranus when Cronus attacked him. Her name means avenger of murder, and she punished killers, especially those who murdered members of their own family. Her sisters were Alecto and Megaera.
Along with her sisters, Tisiphone hounded Orestes after he killed his mother Clytemnestra, until Athena held a trial in Athens and set him free. In the Roman poet Statius's Thebaid, the blind Oedipus calls on Tisiphone to punish his ungrateful sons. She rises from the Underworld and fills the brothers with a hatred that leads to the war of the Seven Against Thebes.
In Virgil's Aeneid, Tisiphone guards the gates of Tartarus, wrapped in a bloody robe and lashing the guilty with her whip. Like her sisters, she had no worship of her own and was honored only together with them. For the Greeks and Romans, she was the reminder that blood guilt could never be escaped.
Famous Myths About Tisiphone
The Curse of Oedipus
In the Roman poet Statius's Thebaid, the blind Oedipus calls on Tisiphone to punish his ungrateful sons. She rises from the Underworld and fills the brothers with a hatred that leads to the war of the Seven Against Thebes.
The Pursuit of Orestes
Along with her sisters, Tisiphone hounded Orestes after he killed his mother Clytemnestra. Their pursuit ended only when Athena held a trial in Athens and set him free.
Tisiphone's Family Tree
Parents of Tisiphone
Partners of Tisiphone
Children of Tisiphone
Frequently Asked Questions About Tisiphone
Who is Tisiphone in Greek mythology?
Tisiphone is one of the three Furies, or Erinyes. Her name means avenger of murder, and she punished killers, especially those who murdered family.
Who are Tisiphone's sisters?
Tisiphone's sisters are Alecto and Megaera. All three were born from the blood of Uranus.
What does Tisiphone do in the Aeneid?
In Virgil's Aeneid, Tisiphone guards the gates of Tartarus, wrapped in a bloody robe, and whips the souls of the guilty.
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