Peristera (mythology)

In Greek mythology, Peristera (Ancient Greek: Περιστερά, romanized: Peristerá, lit. 'dove') is a nymph who was transformed into a dove, one of Aphrodite's sacred birds and symbols, explaining the bird's connection to the goddess.

This article is about the Greek nymph. For the village in Achaea, see Peristera, Achaea. For the Greek island, see Peristera.

Mythology

One day Aphrodite and her son Eros 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 dove. Accordingly, the dove came under Aphrodite's protection thereafter. This myth survives in the works of the first of the three anonymous Vatican Mythographers, whose works were discovered in a single manuscript in 1401.[1][2]

See also

References
  1. First Vatican Mythographer 172
  2. De Gubernatis 1872, p. 305.

Bibliography
  • Pepin, Ronald E. (2008). The Vatican Mythographers. New York City: Fordham University Press. p. 76. ISBN 978-0-8232-2892-8.
  • De Gubernatis, Angelo (1872). Zoological Mythology: Or, The Legends of Animals. Vol. 2. Trübner & Company. ISBN 9780598541062.
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