View source for Pirene (nymph)

{{short description|Nymph}}
{{distinguish|Pyrene (mythology)}}
[[File:Sophie Rude - The death of Cenchirias, son of Neptune and the nymph Peirene.jpg|thumb|[[Sophie Frémiet|Sophie Rude]], ''The Death of Cenchirias, son of Neptune and the nymph Peirene'', 1821-1823]]
{{Greek myth (nymph)}}
In [[Greek mythology]], '''Pirene''' or '''Peirene''' ([[Ancient Greek]]: Πειρήνη means "of the osiers"<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Greek Myths|url=https://archive.org/details/greekmythsvolume00robe|url-access=registration|last=Graves|first=Robert|publisher=Penguin Books|year=1960|isbn=978-0-14-310671-5|location=Harmondsworth, London, England|pages=s.v. Sisyphus}}</ref>), a [[nymph]], was either the daughter of the river god [[Asopus]],<ref>[[Bacchylides]], fr. 9; [[Diodorus Siculus]], 4.72.1-5</ref> [[Laconia]]n king [[Oebalus]],<ref>[[Hesiod]], ''[[Megalai Ehoiai]]'' fr. 258, cited in [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.perseus-eng1:2.2.2 2.2.2].</ref> or the river god [[Achelous]],<ref>Pausanias, [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.perseus-eng1:2.2.2 2.2.2].</ref> depending on different sources. By [[Poseidon]] she became the mother of [[Lecheas]] and [[Cenchrias]]. 

== Mythology ==
When her son Cenchrias was unintentionally killed by [[Artemis]], Pirene's grief was so profound that she became nothing but tears and turned into the [[Pirene (fountain)|fountain]] outside the gates of [[Ancient Corinth|Corinth]].<ref>Pausanias, [http://data.perseus.org/citations/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0525.tlg001.perseus-eng1:2.3.3 2.3.3].</ref> The Corinthians had a small sanctuary dedicated to Pirene by the fountain where honey-cakes were offered to her during the dry months of early summer.

The fountain was sacred to the [[Muses]] and it was there that [[Bellerophon]] found [[Pegasus]] (as [[Polyidus]] had claimed), drinking, and tamed him.<ref>[[Pindar]], ''Olympian Odes'' 13.3</ref>

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

== 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. [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/home.html 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. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:2008.01.0540 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Pausanias (geographer)|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}}. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0160 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library]
* Pausanias, ''Graeciae Descriptio.'' ''3 vols''. Leipzig, Teubner. 1903.  [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0159 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].
* [[Pindar]], ''Odes'' translated by Diane Arnson Svarlien. 1990. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0162 Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.]
* Pindar, ''The Odes of Pindar'' including the Principal Fragments with an Introduction and an English Translation by Sir John Sandys, Litt.D., FBA. Cambridge, MA., Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1937. [http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0161 Greek text available at the Perseus Digital Library].

==Further reading==
* {{cite encyclopedia |author=Leonhard Schmitz |entry=PEIRE'NE |encyclopedia=A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology |editor1-first= William |editor1-last= Smith |location= Boston |publisher= Little, Brown, and Co. |date=1867 |url= http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=moa;cc=moa;idno=acl3129.0003.001;size=l;frm=frameset;seq=174 |volume= 3 |page= 166 |series= Making of America Books }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pirene (Mythology)}}
[[Category:Nymphs]]

{{Greek mythology (deities)}}
{{Metamorphoses in Greco-Roman mythology}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Children of Achelous]]
[[Category:Children of Asopus]]
[[Category:Women of Poseidon]]
[[Category:Metamorphoses into bodies of water in Greek mythology]]
[[Category:Deeds of Artemis]]


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