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IMENEUS, YMENEUS. Hymenaeus, son of Aphrodite and Bacchus, was the god of lawful sexual union (Martianus Capella, The Marriage of Philology and Mercury I.i).

Imeneus, Venus, and Bacchus are present at Januarie's wedding, MerchT 1730-1731. Chaucer mentions Martianus Capella's poem, MerchT 1732-35. Troilus thanks Imeneus for his happiness with Criseyde, Tr III.1258. The god's absence from the wedding of Progne and Tereus betokens disaster for the marriage, LGW 2250. [Bachus: Januarie: Marcian: Proigne: Tereus: Venus]

Imeneus, the ME variant, occurs in medial position, Tr III.1258; Ymeneus, a spelling variant, occurs initially, MerchT 1730, and medially, LGW 2250.

Martianus Capella, De nuptiis Mercurii et Philologiae, ed. A. Dick, 3; ibid., The Marriage of Philology and Mercury, trans. W.T. Stahl and R. Johnson, II: 3-4.
From CHAUCER NAME DICTIONARY
Copyright © 1988, 1996 Jacqueline de Weever
Published by Garland Publishing, Inc., New York and London.
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