STEROPE

STEROPE or ASTEROPE was a Pleiad star-nymph of the town of Pisa in Elis (southern Greece). She was loved by the god Ares and bore him Oinomaos (Oenomaus), the barbaric founding king of Pisa.

Sterope was probably identified with the Naiad-nymph Harpina who is elsewhere named as the mother of Oinomaos by Ares.

PARENTS

[1.1] ATLAS (Hesiod Astronomy Frag 1)
[1.2] ATLAS & PLEIONE (Apollodorus 3.110, Hyginus Fabulae 192, Hyginus Astronomica 2.21, Ovid Fasti 4.169 & 5.79)

OFFSPRING

[1.1] OINOMAOS (by Ares) (Hyginus Fabulae 84, Hyginus Astronomica 2.21)
[1.2] OINOMAOS, EUENOS (by Ares) (Plutarch Greek & Roman Parallel Stories 38)

ENCYCLOPEDIA

STE′ROPE (Steropê). A Pleiad, the wife of Oenomaus (Apollod. iii. 10. § 1), and according to Pausanias (v. 10. § 5), a daughter of Atlas.

Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.

CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

Hesiod, Astronomy Fragment 1 (from Scholiast on Pindar's Nemean Odea 2.16) (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C8th or 7th B.C.) :
"The Pleiades whose stars are these :--‘Lovely Teygata (Taygete), and dark-faced Elektra (Electra), and Alkyone (Alcyone), and bright Asterope, and Kelaino (Celaeno), and Maia, and Merope, whom glorious Atlas begot.’"

Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 3. 110 - 111 (trans. Aldrich) (Greek mythographer C2nd A.D.) :
"To Atlas and Okeanos' (Oceanus') daughter Pleione were born on Arkadian Kyllene (Arcadian Cyllene) seven daughters called the Pleiades, whose names are Alkyone (Alcyone), Merope, Kelaino (Celaeno), Elektra (Electra), Sterope, Taygete, and Maia. Of these, Oinomaus (Oenomaus) married Sterope."

Pausanias, Description of Greece 5. 10. 6 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) :
"[Amongst the scenes depicted on the pediment of the temple of Zeus at Olympia :] On the right of Zeus of Oinomaos (Oenomaus) with a helmet on his head, and by him Sterope his wife, who was one of the daughters of Atlas."

Pseudo-Plutarch, Greek and Roman Parallel Stories 38 (trans. Babbitt) (Greek historian C2nd A.D.) :
"Euenus (Evenus), the son of Ares and Sterope, married Alkippe (Alcippe), the daughter of Oinomaüs (Oenomaus), and begat a daughter Marpessa."

Pseudo-Hyginus, Fabulae 84 (trans. Grant) (Roman mythographer C2nd A.D.) :
"Oenomaus, son of Mars and Asterope, daughter of Atlas."

Pseudo-Hyginus, Fabulae 250 :
"Oenomaus, son of Mars by Asterie, daughter of Atlas."

Pseudo-Hyginus, Astronomica 2. 21 :
"The Pleiades are called seven in number, but only six can be seen. This reason has been advanced, that of the seven, six mated with immortals--three with Jove [Zeus], two with Neptunus [Poseidon], and one with Mars [Ares]-- . . . Mars by Sterope begat Oenomaus, but others call her the wife of Oenomaus."

Ovid, Fasti 4. 169 ff (trans.Boyle) (Roman poetry C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.) :
"The Pleiades will start relieving their sire's [Atlas'] shoulders. Called seven, they are usually six, wither because six of them entered a god's embrace, for they say that Sterope lay with Mars [Ares]."

SOURCES

GREEK

• Hesiod, Astronomy Fragments - Greek Epic C8th - 7th B.C.
• Apollodorus, The Library - Greek Mythography C2nd A.D.
• Pausanias, Description of Greece - Greek Travelogue C2nd A.D.
• Plutarch, Parallel Stories - Greek Historian C1st - 2nd A.D.

ROMAN

• Hyginus, Fabulae - Latin Mythography C2nd A.D.
• Hyginus, Astronomica - Latin Mythography C2nd A.D.
• Ovid, Fasti - Latin Poetry C1st B.C. - C1st A.D.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page.