Niobe

By Lynne Chan

Niobe was the Queen of Thebes. She was a proud woman, who loved to boast of her riches, her beauty and her kingdom's grandeur. But above all, she loved to boast of her fourteen children; seven sons and seven daughters.

It was the time of the annual celebration of the goddess Leto, and the women of Thebes were gathered together to worship Leto and her children, Phoebus and Artemis. They wore garlands on their heads, and offered frankincense on the goddess's altars.

In the midst of the rejoicing Niobe arrived with her attendants. She was clothed in purple, and the look she cast upon the crowd was haughty.

"Fools," she said, tossing her head. "To worship beings you have never set your eyes on! Why is this Leto worshipped, and offered prayers, when I, your Queen, am neglected? My father was the son of Zeus, my mother a goddess. Everywhere I look I see evidence of my wealth and the power of my house, and my beauty is not unworthy of a goddess.

"Furthermore, I have seven sons and seven daughters. Do I not have reason to be proud? Will you prefer Leto, who has but two children, to me? Have I not seven times as many? The Fates may take a few of my children, I shall have many remaining. Still more than this poor Titan with her twain! Now, stop this worship! Be done with this sacrifice!" The people obeyed, and went away.

Leto was furious, and flew to a mountain to speak with her children Apollo and Artemis. "My children, I--I who yield to no goddess but Hera,--have had my altars debased, robbed of my sacrifice! Niobe, that conceited woman, has mocked me and preferred her children to mine! Unless you protect me...."

At this point Apollo interrupted her, telling her that speech only delayed punishment. The twins darted to the sky, approaching the plain where the youth of the city had sport. Niobe's sons were there, riding steeds and driving chariots.

Ismenus, the eldest, was the first to fall. An arrow from heaven struck him as he drove his horses. Two of the younger boys were killed with one arrow as they were wrestling. At length only one was left, and he raised his hands and asked the gods for mercy. Apollo would have spared him, had the arrow not already left the bow.

News of this soon reached the palace. Niobe was angry and unhappy at what had happened, and could hardly believe it. Her husband, equally shocked, killed himself.

Near hysterical, Niobe went out to the plain and addressed Leto, her daughters following her. "Unkind Leto!" she wept. "Be happy, while I follow my sons to the next world. But to what avail? I still have seven left living, my rival." Even as she spoke, the bow sounded, and arrows began falling. One girl was struck while attempting to console her mother, and died instantly. Another fell while trying to hide. When there was only one left, Niobe clasped that one in her arms, and begged Leto to spare her last one. Even as she spoke, the girl fell to the ground.

Niobe sat on the mountaintop, bereaved of sons, daughters and husband. She was still, her hands unmoving, her hair unyielding to the wind. Only the tears from her eyes continued to flow, and they became a stream, flowing from the stone figure that she had become.

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