Melissa, a nymph who discovered and taught the use of honey,[1] and from whom bees were believed to have received their name, μέλισσαι.[2] Bees seem to have been the symbol of nymphs, whence they themselves are sometimes called Melissae, and are sometimes said to have been metamorphosed into bees.[2][3] Hence also nymphs in the form of bees are said to have guided the colonists that went to Ephesus;[4] and the nymphs who nursed the infant Zeus are called Melissae, or Meliae.[5][6][7]
Melissa, daughter of the Cretan king Melissus, who, together with her sister Amalthea, fed Zeus with goats' milk.[8] She may be the same as the above Melissa.
The name Melissae was transferred to priestesses in general, but more especially to those of Demeter,[2][10]Persephone,[11] and to the priestess of the DelphianApollo.[12] According to the scholiasts of Pindar and Euripides, priestesses received the name Melissae from the purity of the bee.[13]
^Compare a story about the origin of bees in Servius, Commentary on Virgil'sAeneid 1.434
Referencesedit
Antoninus Liberalis, The Metamorphoses of Antoninus Liberalis translated by Francis Celoria (Routledge 1992). Online version at the Topos Text Project.
Apollodorus, The Library with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer, F.B.A., F.R.S. in 2 Volumes, Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1921. ISBN 0-674-99135-4. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website.
Callimachus, Callimachus and Lycophron with an English translation by A. W. Mair ; Aratus, with an English translation by G. R. Mair, London: W. Heinemann, New York: G. P. Putnam 1921. Internet Archive
Callimachus, Works. A.W. Mair. London: William Heinemann; New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. 1921. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
Lactantius, Divine Institutes translated by William Fletcher (1810-1900). From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 7. Edited by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe. Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1886. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
Maurus Servius Honoratus, In Vergilii carmina comentarii. Servii Grammatici qui feruntur in Vergilii carmina commentarii; recensuerunt Georgius Thilo et Hermannus Hagen. Georgius Thilo. Leipzig. B. G. Teubner. 1881. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
Stephanus of Byzantium, Stephani Byzantii Ethnicorum quae supersunt, edited by August Meineike (1790-1870), published 1849. A few entries from this important ancient handbook of place names have been translated by Brady Kiesling. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
Theocritus, Idylls from The Greek Bucolic Poets translated by Edmonds, J M. Loeb Classical Library Volume 28. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press. 1912. Online version at theoi.com Theocritus, Idylls edited by R. J. Cholmeley, M.A. London. George Bell & Sons. 1901. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
This article includes a list of Greek mythological figures with the same or similar names. If an internal link for a specific Greek mythology article referred you to this page, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended Greek mythology article, if one exists.
April 12, 2024
melissa, mythology, greek, mythology, melissa, ancient, greek, Μέλισσα, refer, following, women, melissa, nymph, discovered, taught, honey, from, whom, bees, were, believed, have, received, their, name, μέλισσαι, bees, seem, have, been, symbol, nymphs, whence,. In Greek mythology Melissa Ancient Greek Melissa may refer to the following women Melissa a nymph who discovered and taught the use of honey 1 and from whom bees were believed to have received their name melissai 2 Bees seem to have been the symbol of nymphs whence they themselves are sometimes called Melissae and are sometimes said to have been metamorphosed into bees 2 3 Hence also nymphs in the form of bees are said to have guided the colonists that went to Ephesus 4 and the nymphs who nursed the infant Zeus are called Melissae or Meliae 5 6 7 Melissa daughter of the Cretan king Melissus who together with her sister Amalthea fed Zeus with goats milk 8 She may be the same as the above Melissa Melissa daughter of Epidamnus and mother of Dyrrhachius by Poseidon Her father and son gave their name to the town in Illyria which was called Epidamnos and later on Dyrrhachium 9 The name Melissae was transferred to priestesses in general but more especially to those of Demeter 2 10 Persephone 11 and to the priestess of the Delphian Apollo 12 According to the scholiasts of Pindar and Euripides priestesses received the name Melissae from the purity of the bee 13 Notes edit Col 9 2 3 a b c Scholia ad Pindar Pythian Odes 4 104 Hesychius s v Ὀrodemniades Columell 9 2 Scholia ad Theocritus 3 13 Philostr Icon 2 8 Antoninus Liberalis 19 Callimachus Hymns to Zeus 47 Apollodorus 1 1 3 Lactantius Divine Institutes 1 22 19 sq Stephanus of Byzantium s v Dyrrhakhion Callimachus Hymn to Apollo 110 Hesychius s v Melissai Theocritus Idylls 15 94 with scholia Pindar Pythian Odes 4 106 Scholia ad Euripides Hippolytus 72 Compare a story about the origin of bees in Servius Commentary on Virgil s Aeneid 1 434References editAntoninus Liberalis The Metamorphoses of Antoninus Liberalis translated by Francis Celoria Routledge 1992 Online version at the Topos Text Project Apollodorus The Library with an English Translation by Sir James George Frazer F B A F R S in 2 Volumes Cambridge MA Harvard University Press London William Heinemann Ltd 1921 ISBN 0 674 99135 4 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library Greek text available from the same website Callimachus Callimachus and Lycophron with an English translation by A W Mair Aratus with an English translation by G R Mair London W Heinemann New York G P Putnam 1921 Internet Archive Callimachus Works A W Mair London William Heinemann New York G P Putnam s Sons 1921 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library Lactantius Divine Institutes translated by William Fletcher 1810 1900 From Ante Nicene Fathers Vol 7 Edited by Alexander Roberts James Donaldson and A Cleveland Coxe Buffalo NY Christian Literature Publishing Co 1886 Online version at the Topos Text Project Maurus Servius Honoratus In Vergilii carmina comentarii Servii Grammatici qui feruntur in Vergilii carmina commentarii recensuerunt Georgius Thilo et Hermannus Hagen Georgius Thilo Leipzig B G Teubner 1881 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library Stephanus of Byzantium Stephani Byzantii Ethnicorum quae supersunt edited by August Meineike 1790 1870 published 1849 A few entries from this important ancient handbook of place names have been translated by Brady Kiesling Online version at the Topos Text Project Theocritus Idylls from The Greek Bucolic Poets translated by Edmonds J M Loeb Classical Library Volume 28 Cambridge MA Harvard University Press 1912 Online version at theoi com Theocritus Idylls edited by R J Cholmeley M A London George Bell amp Sons 1901 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library nbsp nbsp This article includes a list of Greek mythological figures with the same or similar names If an internal link for a specific Greek mythology article referred you to this page you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended Greek mythology article if one exists Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Melissa mythology amp oldid 1212167663, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
