Themisto

For other uses, see Themisto (disambiguation).

In Greek mythology, Themisto (Greek: Θεμιστώ), daughter of Hypseus, was the third and last wife of Athamas. According to Apollodorus, she had five children by him: Leucon, Erythrius, Schoeneus, Ptous, and Porphyrion. In other sources there were but two: Sphincius and Orchomenus, or else Schoeneus and Leucon. Some say that the father of Leucon was Poseidon (see also Leuconoe).

When Athamas returned to his second wife, Ino, Themisto dressed all her own children in white clothing, and Ino's in black. Themisto then proceeded to kill all the black-clothed children, as an act of revenge against Athamas. What Themisto did not realise was that Ino had switched the children's clothing, and so she in fact killed her own children (except, apparently, for Schoeneus). Upon discovering that, she killed herself. According to Apollodorus, however, Themisto married Athamas after the death of Ino, and the whole story with the murder of the children did not take place.

Her name is derived from the Ancient Greek word: "θεμιστος" which means "belonging to the law," or "belonging to the customs."