HARMONIA, in Greek mythology, according to one account the daughter of Ares and Aphrodite, and wife of Cadmus. When the government of Thebes was bestowed upon Cadmus by Athena, Zeus gave him Harmonia to wife. All the gods honoured the wedding with their presence. Cadmus (or one of the gods) presented the bride with a robe and necklace, the work of Hephaestus. This necklace brought misfortune to all who pos sessed it; it led to the death of Amphiaraus, of Eriphyle, of Alcmaeon, of Phegeus and his sons. Even in historic times its baleful influence continued. Phayllus, one of the Phocian leaders in the Sacred War (3 5 2 B.c.) carried it off and gave it to his mistress. After she had worn it for a time her son was seized with madness and set fire to the house, and she perished in the flames. Both Harmonia and Cadmus were ultimately turned into snakes after a life of misfortunes. Other accounts make Har monia daughter of Zeus and Electra (the Pleiad), or allegorize her as a personification of concord.
See (index, s.v.) and the classical dictionaries.