In Greek mythology, the Niobids were the children of Amphion of Thebes and Niobe, slain by Apollo and Artemis because Niobe, born of the royal house of

Phrygia In classical antiquity, Phrygia ( ; grc, Φρυγία, ''Phrygía'' ) was a kingdom in the west central part of Anatolia, in what is now Asian Turkey, centered on the Sangarios River. After its conquest, it became a region of the great empires ...

, had boastfully compared the greater number of her own offspring with those of Leto, Apollo's and Artemis' mother: a classic example of ''

hubris Hubris (; ), or less frequently hybris (), describes a personality quality of extreme or excessive pride or dangerous overconfidence, often in combination with (or synonymous with) arrogance. The term ''arrogance'' comes from the Latin ', mean ...

''.

Names

The number of Niobids mentioned most usually numbered twelve ( Homer) or fourteen ( Euripides and

Apollodorus Apollodorus (Ancient Greek, Greek: Ἀπολλόδωρος ''Apollodoros'') was a popular name in ancient Greece. It is the masculine gender of a noun compounded from Apollo, the deity, and doron, "gift"; that is, "Gift of Apollo." It may refer to: ...

), but other sources mention twenty, four ( Herodotus), or eighteen (

Sappho Sappho (; el, Σαπφώ ''Sapphō'' ; Aeolic Greek ''Psápphō''; c. 630 – c. 570 BC) was an Archaic Greek poet from Eresos or Mytilene on the island of Lesbos. Sappho is known for her Greek lyric, lyric poetry, written to be sung while ...

). Generally half these children were sons, the other half daughters. The names of some of the children are mentioned; these lists vary by author: Other different names were also mentioned, including Amyclas and Meliboea (also in Apollodorus, see below).

Manto may refer to: People * Mando (singer), Greek singer * Manto Mavrogenous, Greek national heroine * Saadat Hasan Manto, Urdu short story writer known by his pen name Manto * Manto Tshabalala-Msimang (1940–2009), South African politician * Manto ...

, the seeress daughter of Tiresias, overheard Niobe's remark and bid the Theban women placate Leto, in vain. Apollo and Artemis slew all the children of Niobe with their arrows, Apollo shooting the sons, Artemis the daughters. According to some sources, however, two of the Niobids who had supplicated Leto were spared: Apollodorus gives their names as Meliboea (Chloris) and

Amyclas In Greek mythology, Amyclas ( grc, Ἀμύκλας) refers to two individuals: * Amyclas, a mythical king of Sparta. Pausanias, 10.9.5 *Amyclas, a Theban prince as the son of King Amphion and Niobe, daughter of Tantalus.Apollodorus, 3.5.6 He peris ...

. Another apparent survivor is Phylomache, who is mentioned by Apollodorus as one of the two possible spouses of Pelias. The Niobids were buried by the gods at Thebes. Ovid remarked that all men mourned Amphion, for the extinction of his line, but none mourned Niobe save her brother Pelops.

Parthenius variant

In another version of the myth, the Niobids are the children of Philottus and Niobe, daughter of Assaon. When Niobe dares to argue with Leto about the beauty of her children, Leto comes up with multi-stage punishment. First, Philottus is killed while hunting. Then, her father Assaon makes advances to his own daughter, which she refuses. He invites her children to a banquet and burns them all to death. As a result of these calamities, Niobe flings herself from a rock. Assaon, reflecting over his crimes, also killed himself.

Art

Due to their appearance in the mythology of Apollo, male and female Niobids frequently appeared in classical art. One of the two ivory reliefs added to the doors of the

Temple of Apollo Palatinus The Temple of Apollo Palatinus ('Palatine Apollo') was a temple on the Palatine Hill of ancient Rome, which was first dedicated by Augustus to his patron god Apollo. It was only the second temple in Rome dedicated to the god, after the Temple of ...

in its Augustan rebuild depicted their death. They are also known from figurative sculpture, examples of which are to be found at the

Palazzo Massimo Palazzo Massimo may refer to: * Palazzo Massimo alle Colonne, a Renaissance palace in Rome, Italy * Palazzo Massimo alle Terme The National Roman Museum (Italian: ''Museo Nazionale Romano'') is a museum, with several branches in separate buildin ...

in Rome and in the group of Niobids (including Niobe sheltering one of her daughters) found in Rome in 1583 along with the '' Wrestlers'' and brought to the Uffizi in Florence in 1775.Uffizi Gallery - The Portrait, Baroccio And Niobe Rooms

Gallery

File:03 2015 Niobide che sale su una roccia (scultura), I - II secolo opera romana-Galleria degli Uffizi (Firenze) Photo Paolo Villa FOTO9242.JPG, Niobid rises on a rock

Galleria degli Uffizi The Uffizi Gallery (; it, Galleria degli Uffizi, italic=no, ) is a prominent art museum located adjacent to the Piazza della Signoria in the Historic Centre of Florence in the region of Tuscany, Italy. One of the most important Italian museums ...

File:Firenze - Florence - Galleria degli Uffizi - Sala della Niobe 1782 - View East.jpg, The Niobe Room ( it, Sala della Niobe) at the Uffizi Image:Niobid Sallustiani Massimo Inv72274.jpg, ''Dying Niobid'', found in the Gardens of Sallust (

). Image:Niobe1.jpg, ''Niobe and her children'', ( Uffizi). File:Andrea Camassei - The Massacre of the Niobids - WGA03791.jpg, ''The Massacre of the Niobids'' by

Andrea Camassei Andrea Camassei (November 1602 – 1649) was an Italian Baroque painter and engraver mainly active in Rome under the patronage of the Barberini. Biography He was born in Bevagna in Umbria to parents of modest means, Angelina d' Anton Maria Ange ...

, Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica

Notes

References

, ''The Library'' with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. ISBN 0-674-99135-4
Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.Greek text available from the same website
*

Gaius Julius Hyginus Gaius Julius Hyginus (; 64 BC – AD 17) was a Latin author, a pupil of the scholar Alexander Polyhistor, and a freedman of Caesar Augustus. He was elected superintendent of the Palatine library by Augustus according to Suetonius' ''De Grammatic ...

, ''Fabulae from The Myths of Hyginus'' translated and edited by Mary Grant. University of Kansas Publications in Humanistic Studies
Online version at the Topos Text Project.
* Parthenius, ''Love Romances'' translated by Sir Stephen Gaselee (1882-1943), S. Loeb Classical Library Volume 69. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press. 1916.
Online version at the Topos Text Project.
*Parthenius, ''Erotici Scriptores Graeci, Vol. 1''. Rudolf Hercher. in aedibus B. G. Teubneri. Leipzig. 1858
Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library
*

Publius Ovidius Naso Pūblius Ovidius Nāsō (; 20 March 43 BC – 17/18 AD), known in English as Ovid ( ), was a Roman poet who lived during the reign of Augustus. He was a contemporary of the older Virgil and Horace, with whom he is often ranked as one of the th ...

, ''Metamorphoses'' translated by Brookes More (1859-1942). Boston, Cornhill Publishing Co. 1922
Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
*Publius Ovidius Naso, ''Metamorphoses.'' Hugo Magnus. Gotha (Germany). Friedr. Andr. Perthes. 1892
Latin text available at the Perseus Digital Library
* Sextus Propertius, ''Elegies'' from ''Charm.'' Vincent Katz. trans. Los Angeles. Sun & Moon Press. 1995
Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.Latin text available at the same website
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