Nicaea (mythology)

The following excerpts recounts the story of Nicaea and her rape by Dionysus, also included was the unfortunate plight of Aura from the same god:

Nonnus, Dionysiaca 48. 567 ff (translated Rouse) (Greek epic c. 5th AD) :

He [Dionysos] remembered the bed of the Astakid Nymphe [i.e. Nikaia (Nicaea)] long before, how he had wooed the lovely Nymphe with a cunning potion and made sleep his guide to intoxicated bridals.

Nonnus, Dionysiaca 48. 811 ff :

Nikaia (Nicaea), the leader of the rites of Lyaios (Lyaeus) [Dionysos], seeing the pain and disgrace of distracted Aura [who was pregnant after her violation by Dionysos], spoke to her thus in secret pity : 'Aura, I have suffered as you have [i.e. Nikaia had also been violated by Dionysos in a drunken sleep], and you too lament you your maidenhood. But since you carry in your womb the burden of painful childbirth, endure after the bed to have the pangs of delivery, endure to give your untaught breast to babes. Why did you also drink wine, which robbed me of my girdle? Why did you also drink wine, Aura, until you were with child? You also suffered what I suffered, you enemy of marriage; then you also have to blame a deceitful sleep sent by the Erotes (Loves), who are friends of the marriage. One fraud fitted marriage on us both, one husband was Aura's and made virgin Nikaia the mother of children. No more have I a beast-slaying bow, no longer as once, I draw my bowstring and my arrows; I am a poor woman working at the loom, and no longer a wild Amazon. She spoke, pitying Aura's labour to accomplish the birth, as one who herself had felt the pangs of labour.

Nonnus, Dionysiaca 48. 865 ff :

Dionysos called Nikaia (Nicaea), his own Kybeleid (Cybelid) Nymphe, and smiling pointed to Aura still unbraiding her childbed; proud of his late union with the lonely girl, he said : 'Now at last, Nikaia, you have found consolation for your love. Now again Dionysos has stolen a marriage bed, and ravished another maiden: woodland Aura in the mountains, who shrank once from the very name of love, has seen a marriage the image of yours. Not you alone had sweet sleep as a guide to love, not you alone drank deceitful wine which stole your maiden girdle; but once more a fountain of nuptial wine has burst from a new opening rock unrecognized, and Aura drank. You who have learnt the throes of childbirth in hard necessity, by Telete (Consecration) your dance weaving daughter I beseech you, hasten to lift up my son, that my desperate Aura may not destroy him with daring hands for I know she will kill one of the two baby boys in her intolerable frenzy, but do you help Iakkhos (Iacchus): guard the better boy, that your Telete may be the servant of son and father both.' With this appeal Bakkhos (Bacchus) departed, triumphant and proud of his two Phrygian marriages, with the elder wife and the younger bride . . . [Artemis rescued one of the sons of Aura before she could kill both her newborns and delivered him to Dionysos.] The father gave charge of his son [Iakkhos] to Nikaia the Nymphe as a nurse. She took him, and fed the boy, pressing out the life giving juice of her child nursing breasts from her teat, until he grew up.