Chris Tsirkas
Free e-book, available at: • Google Books, by ISBN search: 9781456652289 • Apple books, by ISBN search: 9781456652289 • barnesandnoble (incl. Nook), by ISBN search: 9781456652289 • Kindle books, by ASIN search: B0D8LBY644 without an ISBN (distributed by me): • My Academia Profile, in PDF format. "Antiope" unfolds a tale set in the ancient city of Thebes, founded by Cadmus, a Phoenician prince guided by an oracle. The city, renowned for its seven-gated walls and rich mythological history, is shadowed by the curse of Cadmus's hybris —his boasting that his marriage to Harmonia, the daughter of Ares and Aphrodite, was more splendid than the banquets of the gods. This hubris brings divine retribution upon Cadmus's descendants and upon the Theban throne, intertwining their fates with misfortune and vengeance. In the broader region of Boeotia, Antiope, the daughter of Nycteus, a Boeotian hero, flourishes. Nycteus and his brother Lycus, after fleeing to Thebes due to accusations of murder, rise to prominence; Nycteus joins the royal guard, while Lycus later becomes the king-regent of Thebes, after King Pentheus's death. Antiope's troubles begin when she is impregnated by Zeus, forcing her to flee Thebes, in shame. In Sicyon, she marries King Epopeus. Lycus, coveting power and seeing Antiope as a threat, attacks Sicyon, overpowers Epopeus, and takes Antiope captive. This marks the beginning of her suffering and despair. Antiope's plight worsens as she gives birth to twin sons, Amphion and Zethus, on her way back to Thebes, on Mount Cithaeron —only to have them abandoned by Lycus in the wilderness. Raised by a kindly herdsman, the twins grow unaware of their noble lineage. Meanwhile, Antiope endures relentless torment from Lycus's wife, Dirce. Yet, her spirit remains unbroken, even through years of captivity. As this tragedy unfolds its events, the titular character escapes from her cruel captivity in Thebes, driven by the divine aid of god Dionysus. As she returns to Mount C
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