ISIPHILE, YSIPHILE. Hypsipyle, daughter of King Toas, became queen of Lemnos. The women of the island had neglected the rites of Venus; in revenge the goddess caused their husbands to take concubines. The women avenged themselves by killing all the men on the island. Hypsipyle, however, saved her father by setting him adrift in a boat. When the Argonauts reached Lemnos, Hypsipyle entertained them royally and fell in love with Jason. Jason, however, betrayed her when he reached Colchis. There he promised to marry Medea and never returned to Lemnos (Heroides VI).

The Man of Law says that Chaucer has told the "pleinte of Isiphile," MLI 67. Jason has been false to Isiphile, HF I.400. She must bow before Alceste, the supreme example of wifely virtue, LGW F 266, LGW G 220. The full story appears in LGW 1467-1579. Chaucer lists his sources, LGW 1465, as Ovid, Epistles (Heroides) and Valerius Flaccus, Argonauticon (II.311-430). [Jason: Ovide: Thoas: Valerius Flaccus]

The forms are OF variants. Isiphile occurs once medially, LGW 1395, and twice in final rhyming position, MLI 67; HF I.400. Ysiphile occurs three times initially, LGW F 266, LGW G 220, LGW 1469, and once medially, LGW 1467.