Canace

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In Greek mythology, Canace was a daughter of Aeolus and Enarete, and the beloved of Poseidon. She had seven brothers and six sisters. Her brothers were Athamas, Cretheus, Deioneus, Macar (also called Macareus), Perieres, Salmoneus and Sisyphus. Her sisters were Alcyone, Arne, Calyce, Peisidice, Perimele and Tanagra.

With Poseidon, she was the mother of Aloeus, Epopeus, Hopelus, Nireus and Triopas. She was forced by her father to commit suicide as punishment for falling in love with her brother Macar/Macareus.

Her story was put to the stage in the verse tragedy Canace (1588), by Italian playwright Sperone Speroni.

This story was also featured in the Latin poet Ovid's Heroides, a selection of eighteen story-poems that takes the shape of letters from mythological women to their lovers and ex-lovers.

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