Agave
mythological figure · 4 works · 5 mentions · 12 anchored passages
Kadmean Bacchae · fair-cheeked Agave · his mother · wretched woman
in the texts
Bacchae
Mother of Pentheus and daughter of Kadmos, one of the Theban women driven to Bacchic frenzy on Mount Kithairon.
I saw three companies of dancing women, one of which Autonoe led, the second your mother Agave, and the third Ino.
But now I will go to fit on Pentheus the dress he will wear to the house of Hades, slaughtered by his mother’s hands.
Agave happened to be leaping near me, and I sprang forth, wanting to snatch her, abandoning the ambush where I had hidden myself.
Theogony
A daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia.
Crassus
Character from Euripides's Bacchae who in the myth carries the severed head of her son Pentheus; her role is reenacted by Jason with Crassus's actual head.
Now when the head of Crassus was brought to the king’s door, the tables had been removed, and a tragic actor, Jason by name, of Tralles, was singing that part of the Bacchae of Euripides where Agave is about to appear.
Then Jason handed his costume of Pentheus to one of the chorus, seized the head of Crassus, and assuming the role of the frenzied Agave, sang these verses through as if inspired:
(Agave) Mine is the honour, Pomaxathres, who happened to be one of the banqueters, sprang up and laid hold of the head, feeling that it was more appropriate for him to say this than for Jason.
De Superstitione
Cited alongside Athamas as having suffered the greater misfortune of seeing her own child in a monstrous shape rather than being merely blind.
but a far greater to Athamas and Agave, to see them in the shape of lions and bucks.