Pleione (mythology)

Pleione (Ancient Greek: Πληιόνη or Πλειόνη[1]) was an Oceanid nymph[2] in Greek mythology and mother of the Pleiades. Pleione presided over the multiplication of the flocks, fitting, since the meaning of her name is: "to increase in number".[3] She was also known to possess great beauty and is often depicted with beautiful, long, flowing red locks.

Family

Pleione was mother to seven daughters, known as the Pleiades. Their names were: Maia, Electra, Taygete, Alcyone, Celaeno, Sterope and Merope. Pleione was the daughter of Okeanos & Tethys, who were a Titan God and Goddess of bodies of water.[4] Among her grandchildren were the god Hermes and the demigod Iasion.

Mythology

Pleione lived in a southern region of Greece called Arcadia, on a mountain named Mount Kyllini. She married the Titan Atlas and gave birth to the Hyades, Hyas and the Pleiades. She was also the protectress of sailing.

In some accounts, when Pleione once was travelling through Boeotia with her daughters, Orion who was accompanying her, fell in love with the mother and tried to attack her. She escaped but Orion sought her for seven years and couldn't find her. Until at last, Zeus pitying the girls, changed them into stars which still continue to fly from Orion.[5][6]

In culture

The star Pleione is named after her.[7]

References
  1. Harry Thurston Peck's Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities (1898) indicates that the 'o' has traditionally been short (and hence unstressed) in English pronunciation.
  2. "PLEIONE - Arcadian Oceanid Nymph of Greek Mythology". www.theoi.com. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  3. "What is the meaning of PLÊIONÊ, the name PLÊIONÊ means, PLÊIONÊ stands for". thenamesdictionary.com. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  4. "OCEANUS (Okeanos) - Greek Titan God of the Ocean-Stream & Fresh Water". www.theoi.com. Retrieved 2020-12-08.
  5. Scholia, on Apollonius of Rhodes, Argonautica 3.309
  6. Hyginus, Astronomica 2.21.6
  7. ""SIMBAD query result: PLEIONE – Be Star". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg".

Sources
  • Pleiades (mythology). Encarta Reference Library. CD-ROM. 2002 ed. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corp., 2001
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