Myrice (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Myrice (/ˈmɪərɪsiː/ MEER-ee-see; Ancient Greek: Μυρίκη, romanized: Muríkē, lit. 'tamarix' pronounced [myríkɛː]) is a minor figure from the island of Cyprus. Like both of her siblings Myrrha and Amaracus, she was transformed into a plant bearing her name.
Family
[edit]She was the daughter of Cinyras, a king of Cyprus, and thus sister to Myrrha and Amaracus, thus aunt/half-sister to Adonis.
Mythology
[edit]The mournful[a] Myrice was transformed into a tamarix tree (μυρίκη in ancient Greek),[2][3][4] possibly by Aphrodite, as the tamarisk was her sacred tree.[5] The implication seems to be that Myrice was grieving the death of her kinsman Adonis, who was gored by a boar during hunting.[6] Additionally, a Hellenistic and Roman-era cult dedicated to Myricaean Apollo (Μυρικαίος Ἀπόλλων, "Apollo of the Tamarisk") is attested on the Northeastern Aegean island of Lesbos.[7][8]
See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Murr 1890, p. 106.
- ^ a b Forbes Irving 1990, p. 276.
- ^ Hesychius of Alexandria s.v. μυρίκη
- ^ Tümpel 1894, s.v. Myrike.
- ^ Farrar 2016, p. 159.
- ^ Wright, M. Rosemary. "A Dictionary of Classical Mythology: Summary of Transformations". mythandreligion.upatras.gr. University of Patras. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
- ^ Kourtzellis 2019, pp. 162–181.
- ^ Folkard 1884, p. 560.
Bibliography
[edit]- Farrar, Linda (2016). Gardens and Gardeners of the Ancient World: History, Myth and Archaeology. Oxbow Books. ISBN 978-1-909686-85-4.
- Folkard, Richard (1884). Plant Lore, Legends, and Lyrics: Embracing the Myths, Traditions, Superstitions, and Folk-lore of the Plant Kingdom. Michigan: S. Low, Marston, Searle, and Rivington.
- Forbes Irving, Paul M. C. (1990). Metamorphosis in Greek Myths. Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-814730-9.
- Kourtzellis, Yannis (2019). "The Sanctuaries on the Island of Lesbos from an Architectural and Topographical Perspective". In Elena C. Partida; Barbara Schmidt-Dounas (eds.). Listening to the Stones: Essays on Architecture and Function in Ancient Greek Sanctuaries in Honour of Richard Alan Tomlinson. Archaeopress. doi:10.2307/j.ctvr00x79. S2CID 240990698. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- Murr, Josef (1890). Die Pflanzenwelt in der griechischen Mythologie (in German). Wagnerische Universitäts-Buchhandlung.
- Tümpel, K. (1894). "Myrike". In Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher (ed.). Ausführliches Lexikon der griechischen und römischen Mythologie [Detailed dictionary of Greek and Roman mythology] (in German). Vol. II, L–M. Leipzig: Teubner-Verlag.