Io (mythology)

Io
Io wearing bovine horns watched over by Argos on Hera's orders, antique fresco from Pompeii
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In Greek mythology, Io (/ˈaɪ.oʊ/; Ancient Greek: Ἰώ [iːɔ̌ː]) was one of the mortal lovers of Zeus. An Argive princess, she was an ancestor of many kings and heroes, such as Perseus, Cadmus, Heracles, Minos, Lynceus, Cepheus, and Danaus. The astronomer Simon Marius named a moon of Jupiter after Io in 1614.

Because her brother was Phoroneus, Io is also known as Phoronis (an adjective form of Phoroneus: "Phoronean").[1] She was sometimes compared to the Egyptian goddess Isis, whereas her Egyptian husband Telegonus was Osiris.[2][3]

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  1. ^ Lewis & Short. A Latin Dictionary. Phŏrō-nis, ĭdis, f. adj., Phoronean, poet. for Argive [...] Subst.: Phorōnis, ĭdis, f., Io
  2. ^ Lemprière, John (1809). A Classical Dictionary. D. & G. Bruce. p. 355. Afterwards she married Telegonus, king of Egypt, or Osiris, according to others, and she treated her subjects with such mildness and humanity, that after death, she received divine honours, and was worshipped under the name of Isis. [...] She is sometimes called Phoronis, from her brother Phoroneus.
  3. ^ Beauzée, Nicolas (1751). L'Encyclopédie (in French). On a étendu encore plus loin la signification de ce terme, & l'on appelle noms patronymiques, ceux qui sont donnés d'après celui d'un frere ou d'une sœur, comme Phoronis, c'est-à-dire Isis Phoronei soror. Summary/translation: "The term patronymic was expanded even further to include those named after a sibling, such as Phoronis to mean Isis, the sister of Phoroneus."