In the Greek Mythology, Pénélope (at Homère Πηνελόπεια / Pênelópeia , in the posterior authors Πηνελόπη / Pênelópê ), girl of Icarios, is the wife of Ulysses of which it has a son, Télémaque.

Myth

In its youth, it is required in marriage, because of its beauty, by several princes of the Greece. His/her father, to avoid the quarrels which could have burst between the applicants, obliges them to dispute of it the possession in plays which it makes celebrate. Victorious outgoing Ulysses, Pénélope is granted to him.

During the twenty years of absence of Ulysses, during and after the Trojan War, Pénélope kept a fidelity the all request proof to him. Its beauty attracted with Ithaque a hundred and eight applicants. It could always elude their continuation and disconcert them by new tricks. The first was to attempt to make on the trade a large veil, by declaring with the prosecutors that it could not contract a new marriage before to have completed this veil intended to wrap the body of her father-in-law Laërte, when he has suddenly died. Thus, during three years, it pled this clever pretext, without its fabric being never completed; because it demolished the night what it had done the day: from there came the proverb, “the fabric of Pénélope”, which one is useful oneself while speaking about the works to which one works unceasingly and which one never finishes.

When one said to Pénélope which her husband was of return, she refused to believe it, fearing that one did not want to surprise it by misleading appearances; but, after it had been ensured, by evidence not ambiguities, that it was really Ulysses, it was delivered to the greatest love and transports of delight.

After the death of Ulysses, she married Télégonos, according to the ones; but, according to others, it was withdrawn in Sparte, and finishes its days with Mantinée. One quotes it like a model of marital fidelity.

Certain mythologists confused, by error, the queen of Ithaque with the nymph Pénélope, mother of the god Pan.

Etymology

The name of Pénélope comes from πηνέλοψ / pênélops , which indicates a species of Canard or one of wild Oie. Certain authors concluded from it that Pénélope was an old divinity in the shape of bird, but there does not exist any proof on the matter, the more so as it was current to give to the women names of bird.