Maia
Pleiad star-nymph of Mount Cyllene in Arcadia
Domains:
Pleiades
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Greek Name | Transliteration | Latin Spelling | Translation |
Μαια | Maia | Maia | Good Nursing Mother |
Πλειας Πλειαδες | Pleias, Pleiades | Vergilia, Vergiliae | Daughters of Pleione |
MAIA was the eldest of the Pleiades, the seven nymphs of the constellation Pleiades. She was a shy goddess who dwelt alone in a cave near the peaks of Mount Kyllene (Cyllene) in Arkadia where she secretly gave birth to the god Hermes, her son by Zeus. She also raised the boy Arkas (Arcas) in her cave whose mother Kallisto (Callisto) had been transformed into a bear.
Aiskhylos (Aeschylus) apparently idenifies Maia "the nursing mother" with Gaia "the Earth." On several occassions he calls the earth-goddess Gaia Maia (Mother Earth) and pairs her with Hermes Khthonios ("of the Earth").
THE PLEIADES were seven mountain-nymph daughters of the Titan Atlas. Their leader was Maia the mother of Hermes by Zeus. Five of the other Pleiades were also loved by gods becoming ancestresses of various royal families including those of Sparta and Troy. When they were pursued by the lustful giant Orion, Zeus placed them amongst the stars as the constellation Pleiades.
Their name means "Daughters of Pleione" and also "Ladies of Plenty" from the Greek word pleiôn "plenty."