Iphigenia

Mortal eldest daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra (the dominant tradition; cf. the separate demigod Helen-Theseus entry greek_iphigenia_helen_variant). Lured to Aulis on a false promise of marriage to Achilles and sacrificed by her father to win the fleet sailing wind — the act that turns Clytemnestra to murder and pivots the whole Atreid tragedy. In the strong Euripidean variant Artemis substitutes a deer at the altar and translates her to Tauris as her priestess, where Orestes later finds her; honoured in the Artemis cult at Brauron and Halae. Authored mortal: a scion father and mortal mother.

Parentage

• paternal: Agamemnon
• maternal: Clytemnestra

Variant accounts

• parentage-variant

Domains

• sacrifice

Powers

• Priestess of Artemis at Tauris

Relations

• sibling: ElectraApollod. Epit. 2.16 (primary)
• sibling: ChrysothemisHom. Il. 9.145; Apollod. Epit. 2.16 (primary)
• sibling: OrestesApollod. Epit. 2.16; Eur. IT 769-826 (primary)

Sources

• existence: Homer Iliad 9.145 (Iphianassa); Aeschylus Agamemnon 184-247; Euripides Iphigenia at Aulis, Iphigenia in Tauris; Cypria fr.; Apollodorus Epitome 2.16, 3.21-22; Pausanias 1.33.1, 2.35.1 (primary)
• parentage: Apollod. Epit. 2.16; Eur. IA (daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra) (primary)