Themisto
(
Θεμιστώ). The third wife of
Athamas (q.v.), who married her under the impression that his wife Ino
was dead. When he heard, however, that Ino was living as a votary of Dionysus, in the ravines
of Parnassus, he secretly sent for her. Themisto, on hearing this, determined, in revenge, to
kill Ino's children, and ordered a slave, who had lately come to the house, to dress her
children in white and Ino's in black, so that she might be able to distinguish them in the
night. But the slave, who was Ino herself, suspecting the evil intention, exchanged the
clothes. Themisto, in consequence, killed her own children, and, on becoming aware of her
mistake, slew herself also.