Tanagra (mythology)

In Greek mythology, Tanagra (/ˈtanəgrə/; Ancient Greek: Τανάγρα or Τάναγραν) was a naiad or nymph and the namesake of the ancient city of Tanagra in Boeotia, Greece.

She was of such great beauty that both the god of war Ares and the god of thieves, Hermes fell for her. To win the right to be her lover they both participated in a boxing match where Hermes won and carried her off to the city of Tanagra, which was named for her, and made her an immortal oread or naiad, depending on versions.

Family

Tanagra's father was either Aeolus or the river god Asopus.[1] Her mother was named as the nymph Metope, a daughter of the river god Ladon.[2] She had two brothers: Pelasgus, and Ismenus, and eleven sisters: Korkyra, Salamis, Aegina, Pirene, Cleone, Thebe, Thespeia, Asopis, Sinope, Ornia, Chalcis.[3]

Mythology

Tanagra married Poemander, and together they had two sons: Leucippus and Ephippus.[4] Poemander founded the city of Tanagra in Boeotia, which he named after his wife.[1]

Notes

  1. ^ a b Pausanias, Description of Greece, 9.20.1
  2. ^ Apollodorus, Library, 3.12.6
  3. ^ Diodorus Siculus, Library of History, 4.72.1
  4. ^ Plutarch, Quaestiones Graecae, 37
Greek deities
series
Nymphs

References

  • Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History translated by Charles Henry Oldfather. Twelve volumes. Loeb Classical Library. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann, Ltd. 1989. Vol. 3. Books 4.59–8. Online version at Bill Thayer's Web Site
  • Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica. Vol 1-2. Immanel Bekker. Ludwig Dindorf. Friedrich Vogel. in aedibus B. G. Teubneri. Leipzig. 1888–1890. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
  • Pausanias, Description of Greece with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A., in 4 Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918. ISBN 0-674-99328-4. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library
  • Pausanias, Graeciae Descriptio. 3 vols. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
  • Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus, Moralia with an English Translation by Frank Cole Babbitt. Cambridge, MA. Harvard University Press. London. William Heinemann Ltd. 1936. Online version at the Perseus Digital Library. Greek text available from the same website.


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