Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

and

Roman mythology Roman mythology is the body of myths of ancient Rome as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans, and is a form of Roman folklore. "Roman mythology" may also refer to the modern study of these representations, and to th ...

, Peristera () is a nymph who was transformed into a

dove Columbidae is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with small heads, relatively short necks and slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. ...

, one of

Aphrodite Aphrodite (, ) is an Greek mythology, ancient Greek goddess associated with love, lust, beauty, pleasure, passion, procreation, and as her syncretism, syncretised Roman counterpart , desire, Sexual intercourse, sex, fertility, prosperity, and ...

's sacred birds and symbols, explaining the bird's connection to the goddess. This myth survives in the works of Latin grammarian

Lactantius Placidus Lactantius Placidus (c. 350 – c. 400 AD) was the presumed author of a commentary on Statius's poem ''Thebaid''. Wilhelm Siegmund Teuffel considered him to be the same person as Luctatius Placidus, the ostensible author of a medieval Latin gl ...

and the first of the three anonymous

Vatican Mythographers The so-called Vatican Mythographers () are the anonymous authors of three Latin mythographical texts found together in a single medieval manuscript, Vatican Reg. lat. 1401. The name is that used by Angelo Mai when he published the first edition o ...

, whose works were discovered in a single manuscript in 1401.

Etymology

The etymology of the Greek word , meaning the common pigeon or dove, is ultimately unknown, although it could be related to the word , meaning "dark, blue." One suggestion is that it may be derived from a Semitic phrase ''peraḥ Ištar'', which means "the bird of

Ishtar Inanna is the List of Mesopotamian deities, ancient Mesopotamian goddess of war, love, and fertility. She is also associated with political power, divine law, sensuality, and procreation. Originally worshipped in Sumer, she was known by the Akk ...

", a Semitic love-goddess sharing some elements with Aphrodite.

Mythology

One day

and her son

Eros Eros (, ; ) is the Greek god of love and sex. The Romans referred to him as Cupid or Amor. In the earliest account, he is a primordial god, while in later accounts he is the child of Aphrodite. He is usually presented as a handsome young ma ...

arrived in a bright meadow, and for fun they held a contest on which could gather the most flowers. Eros, bearing swift wings, easily outdid his mother, until Peristera stepped in and handed to Aphrodite the flowers she herself had picked, giving Aphrodite the victory. Eros, in anger over his victory being snatched away from his hands, transformed Peristera into the bird bearing her name, the

. Accordingly, the dove came under Aphrodite's protection thereafter.

First Vatican Mythographer The so-called Vatican Mythographers () are the anonymous authors of three Latin mythographical texts found together in a single medieval manuscript, Vatican Reg. lat. 1401. The name is that used by Angelo Mai when he published the first edition o ...

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Interpretation

According to Paul M.C. Forbes Irving, Peristera's tale is a very late one, and is more in line with inventions of a scholar who creates comprehensive narratives than local aetiological myth. Among Aphrodite's symbols, the dove was one of the most significant and common ones, which came to symbolise affection, peace and love.

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * *
Online version at Perseus.tufts project.
* {{Metamorphoses in Greco-Roman mythology Deeds of Eros Deeds of Aphrodite Metamorphoses into birds in Greek mythology Nymphs

Etymology

Mythology

Interpretation

See also

References

Bibliography