Periboea (daughter of Alcathous)

Periboea was the daughter of Alcathous, one of the sons of Pelops and king of Megara; by Telamon she became the mother of Ajax.^[1] Some authors on the other hand wrote that Periboea/Phereboea became the wife of Theseus.^[2][3]

Periboea was one of the several youths chosen to become the victims of the Minotaur because the Megarians paid tribute to the Athenians; it was the same year that Theseus joined the doomed youths in order to put an end to the sacrifices.^[4] While they were travelling by ship for Crete, Periboea's beauty caused King Minos to take a fancy in her and touch her inappropriately.^[5] But she called out Theseus to defend her and Minos' advances were thus thwarted.^[6] Later Theseus slew the Minotaur, and Periboea along with the rest were saved and returned to their homelands.

Years later, Periboea married Telamon of Salamis.^[7] According to a pseudo-Plutarchic text, Telamon once visited Alcathous and in his halls he ravished Periboea; afterwards he fled during the night. Alcathous suspected one of the citizens had debauched his daughter, and delivered her to a guard with the order to cast her into the sea. The man pitied her, and instead sold her. She was brought to Salamis where Telamon bought her. In time she bore to him a son, Ajax.^[8]