Ion Summary

The Ion has a rather straightforward story that involves some not so straightforward background material. All of the characters have intricate relationships, mostly unknown to themselves, that occur before the play begins. The play begins with the god Hermes describing some of these events. He describes the rape of Creusa by the god Apollo near a part of Athens known as the Tall Cliffs. Creusa gives birth to a boy and takes him to the same cave where she was raped to expose the baby. Creusa places some of her possessions with the baby and puts him an ark. Apollo, learning that his son is to be allowed to die by Creusa, orders Hermes to go to Athens and bring the baby to his temple in Delphi.

Hermes places the baby at the steps of the temple and a priestess, walking by, discovers...