In
Greek mythology, Manto (
Ancient Greek: Μαντώ) was the daughter of the prophet
Tiresias and mother of
Mopsus.[1] Tiresias was a
Theban oracle who, according to tradition, was changed into a woman after striking a pair of copulating snakes with a rod, and was thereafter a priestess of
Hera.[2]
Mythology
During the War of the
Epigoni, a later myth relates, Manto was brought to
Delphi as a war prize.
Apollo made her his priestess and sent her to
Colophon to found an
oracle devoted to him. She had a son named
Mopsus by Apollo,[3][4] although by some accounts, the father of Mopsus is
Rhacius, whom Manto later married. According to the Bibliotheca, she had two children by
Alcmaeon,
Amphilochus and
Tisiphone. In an early version, Apollo instructed her to marry the first man she saw outside of Delphi (who turned out to be Rhacius). Rhacius then took her to
Claros (which, like Colophon, is in western
Asia Minor) and there she founded the oracle of Apollo Clarios. When she arrived, Manto wept bitter tears for her ravaged city. As they fell in the ground, the tears transformed into a spring.[5]
In
Roman myth, Manto went to
Italy and gave birth to
Ocnus (father:
Tiberinus, the
genius of the river
Tiber). Ocnus founded
Mantua and named it after his mother. It was said that Manto's abilities in prophecy were much greater than her father's.
Manto also appears in the myth of
Niobe, the boastful queen of
Thebes who degraded
Leto. Manto warns her not to anger the gods and suggests she ask for Leto's forgiveness. Niobe refuses and continues to insult Leto, and consequently is punished by Apollo and Artemis.[6]
Lampus, who tried to violate Manto on her couch, was killed by Apollo for this act.[7]
She is one of the fortune-tellers and diviners whom Dante sees in the fourth pit of the eighth circle of the Inferno.[8]