Myia (; grc-gre, Μυῖα, literally "Fly"; fl. c. 500 BC) was a
Pythagorean philosopher and, according to later tradition, one of the daughters of
Theano
In Greek mythology, Theano (; Ancient Greek: Θεανώ) may refer to the following personages:
*Theano, wife of Metapontus, king of Icaria. Metapontus demanded that she bear him children, or leave the kingdom. She presented the children of Mel ...
and
Pythagoras.
Life
Myia was married to
Milo of Croton
Milo or Milon of Croton (late 6th century BC) was a famous ancient Greek athlete.
He was most likely a historical person, as he is mentioned by many classical authors, among them Aristotle, Pausanias, Cicero, Herodotus, Vitruvius, Epictetus, and ...
, the famous athlete. She was a choir leader as a girl, and as a woman she was noted for her exemplary religious behaviour.
Lucian, in his ''In Praise of a Fly'', states that he could say many things about Myia the Pythagorean were it not for the fact that her history is known to everyone.
[Lucian, ''In Praise of a Fly'', 11]
One letter attributed to Myia is still extant. It is spurious, and probably dates from the 3rd or 2nd century BC.
[Ian Michael Plant, (2004), ''Women writers of ancient Greece and London: an anthology'', University of Oklahoma Press, p. 79.] The letter is addressed to a certain Phyllis, and discusses the importance of fulfilling the needs of a newborn baby according to the principle of harmony. According to the writer, a baby naturally desires moderation in all things, such as food, clothing, heating, etc., and a
nurse of that baby must be moderate also.
[Mary Ellen Waithe, (1987), ''A History of Women Philosophers. Volume 1, 600 BC-500 AD'', Springer, pp. 15–17.]
Notes
External links
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{{Authority control
6th-century BC Greek people
5th-century BC Greek people
6th-century BC Greek women
5th-century BC Greek women
6th-century BC philosophers
Ancient Greek women philosophers
Presocratic philosophers
Ancient Crotonians
Pythagoreans of Magna Graecia