Philomel- Song of Sadness
Fellow princess of Athens, sister to Procne. When Tereus, Prince of Thrace, came to Athens' aid during the war, the king rewarded him with his daughter Procne's hand. She left with him to be wed in Thrace. Owls and other bad omens surrounded the marriage from the start. Five years of wedded "bliss" passed when Procne asked to please have her sister be sent to live with her in Thrace. Tereus agreed and left for Athens to retrieve Philomel. Upon seeing her he began to lust for her and planned a terrible future for the beautiful princess. He took her from her home back to Thrace, stole her away once making land and hid her away in a cabin far from the castle.
He raped, tortured and threatened her. He returned to the castle distraught and told Procne that her sister had died on the journey across the sea. Procne fell into a dark depression at the loss of her sister. Tereus kept Philomel as his sex slave locked away and ultimately sliced her tongue out do to her defiance. In the end, Philomel was able to warn her sister of her fate by sending her a woven tapestry (or in some versions a robe) to her sister. Procne went into a rage upon learning the truth and went to rescue her sister. She brought her back to the castle and they plotted their revenge. At that tragic moment Itys, Procne and Tereus' son, came to play. The mother and aunt pounced on the son, stabbing him and slitting his throat. He was later served to his father for dinner and his head thrown into his lap once Tereus realized. In a horrified rage, Tereus chased after his wife and sister-in-law, but the gods intervened. Each was turned into a bird, Philomel into a nightengale to continue to sing her tragic story, Tereus into a hoopoe (or hawk) and Procne into a swallow.
He raped, tortured and threatened her. He returned to the castle distraught and told Procne that her sister had died on the journey across the sea. Procne fell into a dark depression at the loss of her sister. Tereus kept Philomel as his sex slave locked away and ultimately sliced her tongue out do to her defiance. In the end, Philomel was able to warn her sister of her fate by sending her a woven tapestry (or in some versions a robe) to her sister. Procne went into a rage upon learning the truth and went to rescue her sister. She brought her back to the castle and they plotted their revenge. At that tragic moment Itys, Procne and Tereus' son, came to play. The mother and aunt pounced on the son, stabbing him and slitting his throat. He was later served to his father for dinner and his head thrown into his lap once Tereus realized. In a horrified rage, Tereus chased after his wife and sister-in-law, but the gods intervened. Each was turned into a bird, Philomel into a nightengale to continue to sing her tragic story, Tereus into a hoopoe (or hawk) and Procne into a swallow.