A frantic woman confronts King Athamas's family, demanding to know where he has taken their young daughter, Helle. She reveals Athamas left Helle trapped on a leaking boat as the tide rises, putting the child in immediate danger of drowning. Another woman, Themisto, dismisses her fears, insisting the king would never harm his own child. Desperate, the mother pleads for help to contact Athamas, but faces only scorn and dismissal. With time running out, she vows to find and save her daughter on her own.