Iole’s Family Tree

About Iole →

Family

• Eurytus(parent),Iphitus(sibling)

  Eurytus, king of Oechalia, fathered Iole and Iphitus. Iole was offered as prize in Eurytus's archery contest, and Iphitus alone supported honoring Heracles' victory.

• Heracles(spouse)— Consort

  Heracles captured Iole after sacking Oechalia and killing her father Eurytus. His desire for Iole provoked Deianira's fatal jealousy.

• Hyllus(spouse)— Marriage

  In Sophocles' Trachiniae, the dying Heracles commanded Hyllus to marry Iole, the captive Oechalian princess. Hyllus reluctantly agreed, and their descendants became the Dorian royal houses of the Peloponnese.

Associated with

• Alcmene

  In Ovid's Metamorphoses 9, Iole lived with Alcmene as her daughter-in-law after marrying Hyllus. Together they exchanged stories, and Iole narrated the tale of Dryope's transformation.

• Deianira

  In Sophocles' Trachiniae, Deianira's jealousy over the captive Iole drove her to send the poisoned robe of Nessus, causing Heracles' death. Deianira showed both compassion and fear toward Iole.

• Lichas

  Lichas, herald of Heracles, brought the captive Iole to Trachis and concealed her identity from Deianira. He later delivered the poisoned robe back to Heracles at Cape Cenaeum.

• Nessus

  Nessus's poisoned blood, given to Deianira as a supposed love charm, was used on a robe sent to Heracles because of his desire for Iole. The centaur's dying deception thus linked Iole to Heracles' destruction.