MELIBOEA (Meliboia) - Syrian Oceanid Nymph of Greek Mythology (original) (raw)

Greek Mythology >> Nymphs >> Oceanids >> Meliboea (Meliboia)

Greek Name

Μελιβοια Μελιβοιη

Transliteration

Meliboia, Meliboiê

Translation

Sweet-Cow (meli, bous)

MELIBOIA (Meliboea) was an Okeanid-nymph of Syria in west Asia. She was loved by the river-god Orontes who flooded the Syrian plain as he stayed his streams to woe her.

PARENTS

OKEANOS (Oppian Cynegetica 2.115)

CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

Oppian, Cynegetica 2. 115 ff (trans. Mair) (Greek poet C3rd A.D.) :
"Aforetime all the plain by the foot of Emblonos [in Syria] was flooded; since evermore in great volume rushed Orontes in his eagerness, forgetting the sea and burning with desire of the dark-eyed Nymphe, the daughter of Okeanos (Oceanus). He lingered amid the heights and he covered the fertile earth, unwilling to forgo his hopeless love of Meliboia (Meliboea). With mountains on either side was he encircled round, mountains that one either hand leaned their heads together. From East came the lofty form of Diokleion (Diocleum), and from the West the left horn of Emblonos, and in the midst himself raging in the plains, ever waxing and drawing night the walls, flooding with his waters that mainland at once and island [the Khersonese (Chersonese)], mine own city."

SOURCES

GREEK

• Oppian, Cynegetica - Greek Poetry C3rd A.D.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page.