THESPIA

THESPIA was the Naiad-nymph of the spring, well or fountain of the town of Thespiai (Thespiae) in Boiotia (central Greece). She was a daughter of the river-god Asopos who was abducted to the town by the god Apollon.

PARENTS

[1.1] ASOPOS (Corinna Frag 654, Pausanias 9.26.6)
[1.2] ASOPOS & METOPE (Diodorus Siculus 4.72.1-5)

OFFSPRING

[1.1] A SON? (by Apollon)

ENCYCLOPEDIA

THESPEIA (Thespeia), a daughter of Asopus, from whom the town of Thespiae in Boeotia derived its name. (Paus. ix. 26. § 4.)

Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.

CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

Corinna, Fragment 654 (trans. Campbell, Vol. Greek Lyric IV) (C5th B.C.) :
"Of these nine daughters [of Asopos] . . . Leto's son [Apollon] is in possession of Sinope and Thespia."

Corinna, Fragment 674 :
"Thespia [the town and its eponymous nymph] of the beautiful offspring, lover of strangers, loved by the Mousai (Muses) [i.e. the town was located near their Mount Helikon sanctuary]."

Pausanias, Description of Greece 9. 26. 6 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) :
"They say that Thespia was a daughter of Asopos, who gave her name to the city [of Thespiai in Boiotia]."

Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 4. 72. 1 (trans. Oldfather) (Greek historian C1st B.C.) :
"Asopos made his home in Phlios (Phlius) [Sikyonia], where he married Metope, the daughter of Ladon, to whom were born two sons, Pelasgos and Ismenos, and twelve daughters, Korkyra (Corcyra)and Salamis, also Aigina (Aegina), Peirene, and Kleone (Cleone), then Thebe, Tanagra, Thespeia, and Asopis, also Sinope, and finally Ornia and Khalkis (Chalcis)."

SOURCES

GREEK

• Greek Lyric IV Corinna, Fragments - Greek Lyric C5th B.C.
• Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History - Greek History C1st B.C.
• Pausanias, Description of Greece - Greek Travelogue C2nd A.D.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page.