Anthousa

"Tomorrow is a new day. Korinth will be reborn."

―Anthousa, c. 430 BCE.

Anthousa was a hetaera who resided near the Porneion in Korinth, Greece, during the 5th century BCE.

An associate of the Athenian statesman Alkibiades, Anthousa assisted the Spartan misthios Kassandra in her search for her lost mother Myrrine, while also enlisting her help to combat the the Monger, a member of the Cult of Kosmos who terrorized the citizens of Korinth.

Biography

Leader of the hetaerae

At least since the 440s BCE, Anthousa served as the leader of the hetaerai in Korinth. On one occasion, she met a vagrant Myrrine, the daughter of the late King Leonidas I of Sparta who had left her home after an accident on Mount Taygetos.

Unwilling to leave her out on the streets under a heavy rain, Anthousa took Myrrine in and gave her shelter. As the latter often kept to herself, Anthousa made efforts to help her open up about her past though she gained little in return. Eventually, the Spartan woman departed Korinth after winning a ship, the Siren Song, in a game of dice.

At some point, Anthousa also made the acquaintance of Alkibiades, an Athenian noble and a student of the famed philosopher Sokrates. She also gained the acquaintance of Aspasia, the spouse of the Athenian statesman Perikles.

Conflict with the Monger

In the 430s BCE, Anthousa came into the conflict with the Monger, a thug and secretly a member of the branch of the Cult of Kosmos which had infiltrated the Peloponnesian League. With the Cult's aid, the Monger was able to initiate a takeover of Korinthia and the city, leaving Anthousa and her hetaerae stranded in the Akrokorinth.

Anthousa's first meeting with Kassandra

Sparta, being an ally of Korinth, sent the officer Brasidas to aid Anthousa and her followers against the Monger. However, the two disagreed on methods to deal with the Monger after his defeat: while Anthousa called for the thug to be killed in public, Brasidas and Sparta wanted a silent killing.

During the Peloponnesian War, Anthousa was notified of the misthios Kassandra's arrival by Phoibe, a young girl who worked for Aspasia. After noting Kassandra's efforts of saving the worshippers from the Monger's thugs at the Temple of Aphrodite, Anthousa introduced herself to the misthios at the Spring of Peirene. In exchange for information on Myrrine, Kassandra agreed to assist Anthousa, helping some of her hetaerae including Damalis and Erinna.

Sometime after the Monger was killed by Kassandra in his own warehouse, with his remains publicly displayed against Brasidas' wishes, Anthousa met with the misthios one final time and told her everything she knew about Myrrine, including her departure from Korinth after winning the Siren Song years ago. Kassandra thanked her for the information, and Anthousa bade the misthios farewell and good luck in her search before parting ways.

Behind the scenes

Anthousa is a character appearing in Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, where she is voiced by Daphne Alexander. Her name is derived from the Greek word ἄνθος (ánthos), which means 'flower'.

After starting "Follow That Boat", one of two possible impact quests related to Anthousa is made available: either "Rival Lovers" or "Competing Admirers". They feature a male politician and a female writer, both appreciative of Anthousa's affections.

Gallery

• 
  Anthousa head model
• 
  Anthousa and Kassandra discussing their plan to take down the Monger
• 
  Anthousa inside her home

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
• Assassin's Creed: Odyssey novel