“Asia: (1) In classic mythology, one of the Oceanides, usually spoken of as wife of Iapetus and mother of Prometheus. In his ‘Prometheus Unbound,’ Shelley makes Asia play an important part as Prometheus’ wife.
(2) According to the Koran, the wife of the Pharaoh who brought up Moses. Asia’s husband tortured her for believing in Moses, but she was taken alive into Paradise. Muhammad numbers her among the four perfect women.”
Excerpted from: Murphy, Bruce, ed. Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia, Fourth Edition. New York: Harper Collins, 1996.
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