Ino, also known as Leucothea, was the daughter of Cadmus and Harmonia. She was a member of the royal house of Thebes, and sister to Semele, Agave, Autonoe and Polydorus. She was the second wife of king Athamas of Boeotia. When Ino and her sisters helped to raise Dionysus, they earned the ire of Hera, who cursed Athamas with insanity. He killed Ino's first son, Learches, and then drove her and their second son, Melicertes, out of the palace. She attempted to commit suicide with her son by jumping into the ocean, but Poseidon changed them into marine deities; Ino as Leucothea and Melicertes as Palaimon. In this form, she saved Odysseus' life when he was drowning.

Family

Athamanid Genealogy in Greek mythology

Aeolids             Sisyphids                                                             Cretheids   Hḗlios                                                         Ino   Athamas   Nephele     Salmonids   Aeëtes of Colchis                                                                         Melicertes     Helle       Phrixus   Chalciope                                                               Themisto                         Dynamene   Orchomenus                                                   Clymenus   Pirene             Minyas   Phanosyra                                                                         Orchomenus               Ianeira                                                           Boudeia   Clymenus                                               Erginus

Preceded by: Nephele

Queen of Orchomenus Mythic

Succeeded by Dynamene