In Greek mythology, Melaena or Melena (, feminine "black, dark"),[Mike Campbell, Behind the Name] Melane () or Melanis[Scholia on Euripides, Orestes 1094] was a Corycian Cave nymph, or member of the prophetic Thriae, of the springs of Delphi in Phocis.
Family
Melaena's father was one of the local river gods, either Kephisos or
Pleistos of northern
Boeotia.
[Pausanias, 10.6.1][Apollonius Rhodius, 2.710] In another account, she was called the daughter of King
Hyamus of
Hyampolis and
Melanthea (
Melantho), daughter of
Deucalion. Her sister was called
Celaeno.
Melanis was loved by Apollo and bore him Delphus, eponym of Delphi.
Mythology
Melaina was often identified with Thyia who was also named as the mother of Delphos in other traditions.
[Pausanias, 10.6.4] She was usually confused with the
chthonic nymph Melinoë, daughter of
Persephone by
Hades.
Notes
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Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica translated by Robert Cooper Seaton (1853-1915), R. C. Loeb Classical Library Volume 001. London, William Heinemann Ltd, 1912. Online version at the Topos Text Project.
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Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica. George W. Mooney. London. Longmans, Green. 1912. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
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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. . Online version at the Perseus Digital Library
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Pausanias, Graeciae Descriptio. 3 vols. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903. Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library.
