HARMONIA

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a daughter of Ares and Aphrodite, or, according to others, of Zeus and Electra, the daughter of Atlas, in Samothrace. When Athena assigned to Cadmus the government of Thebes, Zeus gave him Harmoia for his wife, and all the gods of Olympus were present at the marriage.

Cadmus on that day made her a present of a peplus and a necklace, which he had received either from Hephaestus or from Europa.

Other traditions stated that Harmonia received this necklace from some of the gods, either from Aphrodite or Athena.

Those who described Harmonia as a Samothracian related that Cadmus, on his voyage to Samothrace, after being initiated in the mys­teries, perceived Harmonia, and carried her off with the assistance of Athena. When Cadmus was obliged to quit Thebes, Harmonia accompanied him. When they came to the Encheleans, they assisted them in their war against the Illyrians, and conquered the enemy.

Cadmus then became king of the Illyrians, but afterwards he and Harmonia were metamorphosed into dragons and transferred to Elysium; or, according to other's, they were carried thither in a chariot drawn by dragons. (Apollod. iii. 5. § 4 ; Eurip. Baccti. 1233; Ov, Met. iv. 562)

Harmonia is renowned in ancient story chiefly on account of the fatal neck­lace she received on her wedding day. Polyneices, who inherited it, gave it to Eriphyle, that she might persuade her husband, Amphiaraus, to undertake the expedition against Thebes.

Through Alcmaeon, the son of Eriphyle, the necklace came into the hands of Arsinoe, next into those of the sons of Phegeus, Pronous and Agenor, and lastly into those of the sons of Alcmaeon, Amphoterus and Acarnan, who dedicated it in the temple of Athena Pronoea at Delphi. (Apollod. iii. 7. §§ 5—7.) The necklace had wrought mischief to all who had been in pos­session of it, and it continued to dp so even after it was dedicated at Delphi. Phayllus, the tyrant, stole it from the temple to gratify his mistress, the wife of Ariston.

She wore it for a time, but at last her youngest son was seized with madness, and set fire to the house, in which she perished with all her treasures.

HARMONIA, daughter of Gelon, the son of Hieron II., king of Syracuse. She was married to a Syracusan named Themistus, who, after the death of Hieronjimis (b.c. 215) was elected one of the captains-general of the republic ; but these being soon overthrown by a fresh revolution, in which Themistus perished, a decree was passed condemn­ ing to death all surviving members of the family of Hieron; and, in pursuance of this barbarous reso­ lution, Harmonia was immediately put to death, together with Demarata and Heraclea, the daugh­ ters of Hieron.