Phthia was an honorary Amazon, the de facto founder of the Amazons of Bana-Mighdall.
History
She was the daughter of Jason and Hypsipyle of Lemnos.
Years before Phthia's birth, Lemnos had undergone a revolution where the women killed all the men, save for king Thaos, Hypsipyle's father, who was banished. The women ruled the city, and vowed never to take up arms, nor allow men to enter the walls.
They did not count on Jason and his Argonauts. Hypsipyle fell for the charismatic captain, and welcomed his troup into the city. Many of the women gave birth nine months after, including the queen. She begat twins, Phthia and a boy. But Jason's stay was not forever, and he soon set off again, on his quest for the Golden Fleece.
The women of Lemnos blamed their queen for Jason's transgressions, and killed the banished king and all male offspring. Hypsipyle was brutally disfigured and banished, along with her infant daughter. They resettled in Nemea, and by the time Phthia was in her teens, they met the soothsayer Calchas, a former Argonaut. In a vision, he had seen that Hypsipyle's suffering would be over if she returned to Lemnos in the company of a warrior queen. To that end, they sought out the Amazons.
Hippolyta was hesitant, but Antiope was quick to lend her aid. She took her people to Lemnos, but what they found was not what they had hoped for. Without men to hate, the women of Lemnos had turned on each other, and the city was in ruins. Hypsipyle's heart gave out, ending her suffering. She was buried on the island, and Antiope took Phthia as her daughter.[1]
During Antiope's forced marriage to Theseus, Phthia stayed by her side, and became involved with Melanippus, granting him a daughter, Penthesilea. After Ariadne killed Antiope, Phthia attacked Theseus in rage, but could not slay him. She was subdued and jailed.
A band of Amazons freed her, and she reclaimed the Golden Girdle of Gaea from Antiope's tomb. They lived for war, fighting in Troy, and it brought them profit and glory.
But they found that unlike the Themyscirans, they were not immortal. Some thought they forfeited their immortality when Antiope married Theseus. Phthia died of old age, but was followed by many queens of the Bana-Mighdall.[2]
Notes
- In Greek mythology, Jason and Hypsipyle had twins as well, but they were both boys. One was called Euneus, and the other Nebrophonus, Deiphilus or Thoas.
Related
- 7 Appearances of Phthia (New Earth)
- 1 Images featuring Phthia (New Earth)
- 1 Quotations by or about Phthia (New Earth)
- Character Gallery: Phthia (New Earth)
Footnotes