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...

, Molpadia was 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...

 who was said to have fought for both Antiope

Antiope (mythology)

In Greek mythology, Antiope was an Amazon, daughter of Ares and sister to Melanippe and Hippolyte and possibly Orithyia, queens of the Amazons,. She was the wife of Theseus, and the only Amazon known to have married...

 and Orithyia. She was a participant in the Attic War

Attic War

In Greek mythology, the Attic War is the conflict between the Amazons and the Athenians, led by Theseus. The Amazons came to free Antiope from captivity; she was the sister of their dead queen, Hippolyta. Theseus had abducted Antiope during Heracles' ninth labor. The Attican forces were said to...

, where she witnessed her queen Antiope sustain heavy injuries. Antiope was hurt so seriously, she could not defend herself from Theseus

Theseus

For other uses, see Theseus Theseus was the mythical founder-king of Athens, son of Aethra, and fathered by Aegeus and Poseidon, both of whom Aethra had slept with in one night. Theseus was a founder-hero, like Perseus, Cadmus, or Heracles, all of whom battled and overcame foes that were...

 and his retainers. Knowing this, Molpadia killed the queen with an arrow (some say spear), saving her from violation by the Athenian

Athens

Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...

 king. Other sources, however, state that she killed Antiope by accident. She was afterwards killed by Theseus, and her tomb was shown at Athens

Athens

Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...

.

Like many other Amazons, she may have been named for a goddess, in this case a psychopomp

Psychopomp

Psychopomps are creatures, spirits, angels, or deities in many religions whose responsibility is to escort newly deceased souls to the afterlife. Their role is not to judge the deceased, but simply provide safe passage...

 deity. Her name means "Death Song".

Molpadia is not to be confused with another character of the same name, daughter of Staphylus

Staphylus

Staphylus is almost always associated with grapes or wine. In Greek mythology, he was:# The son of wine-god Dionysus and Ariadne. His brothers include Oenopion , Thoas, Peparethus, Phanus and Euanthes . Both Staphylus and Phanus are counted among the Argonauts...

 and Chrysothemis

Chrysothemis

Chrysothemis or Khrysothemis , is a name ascribed to several characters in Greek mythology.Most prominently among these, Chrysothemis was a daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra...

, sister of Parthenos and Rhoeo

Rhoeo

In Greek mythology, Rhoeo was a daughter of Staphylus and Chrysothemis, sister to Parthenos and Molpadia or Hemithea. Parthenius relates that she once experienced a great jealosy of her sister Hemithea when Staphylus arranged for the latter to spend a night with Lyrcus, his guest, whom both...

, alternatively called Hemithea.