Derinoe (mythology)

Derinoe is a figure in Greek mythology, primarily known as one of the 50 daughters of Danaus (the Danaides). Danaus, king of Libya, was commanded by Zeus to marry his daughters to the 50 sons of his twin brother Aegyptus.

According to most accounts, on their wedding night, Danaus instructed his daughters to murder their husbands. All but one, Hypermnestra, obeyed. Derinoe is therefore one of the Danaides who killed her husband.

The name of Derinoe’s husband varies slightly depending on the source but is commonly given as Alkmenor, or sometimes as Alcon.

For their crime, the Danaides were punished in Tartarus, the deepest part of the Underworld. Their eternal punishment was to fill a leaky jar or sieve with water, an impossible task symbolizing the futility of their actions and the enduring nature of their guilt.

The specifics of Derinoe's individual actions or personality beyond her role in the mass murder are not elaborated upon in extant classical sources. She is primarily known as a member of the group rather than as an individual figure with a distinct mythology.