In Greek mythology

Greek mythology

Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...

, Marpessa was an Aetolia

Aetolia

Aetolia is a mountainous region of Greece on the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth, forming the eastern part of the modern prefecture of Aetolia-Acarnania.-Geography:...

n princess, and a granddaughter of Ares

Ares

Ares is the Greek god of war. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. In Greek literature, he often represents the physical or violent aspect of war, in contrast to the armored Athena, whose functions as a goddess of intelligence include military strategy and...

. She was kidnapped by Idas

Idas

In Greek mythology, Idas was a son of Aphareus and Arene and brother of Lynceus. He and Lynceus loved Hilaeira and Phoebe and fought with their rival suitors, Castor and Polydeuces, killing the mortal brother Castor. He was also one of the Argonauts and a participant in the hunt for the Calydonian...

 but loved by Apollo as well. Zeus

Zeus

In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...

 made her choose between them. According to another myth, she was the daughter of Evenus

Evenus (mythology)

Evenus is the name of two characters in Greek mythology.1. Evenus the river-god . He was the son either of Oceanus and Tethys, or of Ares and Demonice , or of Ares and Sterope , or of Heracles...

 and Alcippe. She married Idas after he kidnapped her with a winged chariot. Idas did this as a challenge to her father, who after chasing the couple for a long time, killed his horses and then drowned himself in a nearby river, which took his name. Marpessa then, to make Idas happy, rejected Apollo’s love.

Marpessa is also the name of an Amazon

Amazons

The Amazons are a nation of all-female warriors in Greek mythology and Classical antiquity. Herodotus placed them in a region bordering Scythia in Sarmatia...

 Queen.

Modern references

Marpessa, as a name, was used to describe a 206,000 ton Shell Oil company supertanker (VLCC). In December 1969, it became the world's largest oil tanker to sink up to that date. Marpessa had been on its maiden voyage from Europort

Europort

Europort may refer to*Europort Ltd - a UK consultancy firm specialising in the Maritime and International Public Financial Management Sectors*Europoort - part of the Port of Rotterdam*Europorte - A rail freight subsidiary of Eurotunnel...

, Rotterdam

Rotterdam

Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...

, when an explosion ripped through the hull and it foundered 50 miles off the west coast of Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

.