Maia

Also known as: all-glorious Maia · Family: Gods · Role: Pleiad · First appears: The Astronomy

Atlas fathered Maia among the Pleiades. In the mountains of Cyllene, she gave birth to Hermes; the account of his birth also names Zeus as his father.

The hymns describe Zeus lying with Maia in secret at dead of night while Hera slept, and call Maia shy. When Apollo later found Hermes in Maia’s cave and demanded to know where the cattle were, Hermes cuddled into his swaddling-clothes.

Relationship record

Life events

• Atlas fathered the Pleiades.(The Astronomy)
  • With: Atlas Teygata Electra Alcyone Asterope Celaeno Merope
  • “Lovely Teygata, and dark-faced Electra, and Alcyone, and bright Asterope, and Celaeno, and Maia, and Merope, whom glorious Atlas begot....”
• Maia gave birth to Hermes in the mountains of Cyllene.(The Astronomy · 📍 Cyllene)
  • With: Hermes
  • “In the mountains of Cyllene she (Maia) bare Hermes, the herald of the gods.”
• Maia gave birth to Hermes, the son of Zeus.(Homeric Hymn IV · To Hermes · Part 1)
  • With: Hermes Zeus
  • “And when the purpose of great Zeus was fixed in heaven, she was delivered and a notable thing was come to pass. For then she bare a son, of many shifts, blandly cunning, a robber, a cattle driver, a bringer of dreams, a watcher by night, a thief at the gates, one who was soon to show forth wonderful deeds among the deathless gods.”
• Apollo finds Hermes in Maia’s cave and demands that he reveal where the cattle are.(Homeric Hymn IV · To Hermes · Part 2)
  • With: Hermes Apollo
  • “Now when the Son of Zeus and Maia saw Apollo in a rage about his cattle, he snuggled down in his fragrant swaddling-clothes; and as wood-ash covers over the deep embers of tree-stumps, so Hermes cuddled himself up when he saw the Far-Shooter.”
• Hermes was born to Maia and Zeus.(Homeric Hymn XVIII · To Hermes)
  • With: Hermes Zeus
  • “He was born of Maia, the daughter of Atlas, when she had made with Zeus,—a shy goddess she.”
• Zeus lay with Maia in secret while Hera slept.(Homeric Hymn XVIII · To Hermes)
  • With: Zeus
  • “the Son of Cronos used to lie with the rich-tressed nymph at dead of night, while white-armed Hera lay bound in sweet sleep: and neither deathless god nor mortal man knew it.”

The Astronomy

• parent: Atlas “Lovely Teygata, and dark-faced Electra, and Alcyone, and bright Asterope, and Celaeno, and Maia, and Merope, whom glorious Atlas begot....”
• child: Hermes “In the mountains of Cyllene she (Maia) bare Hermes, the herald of the gods.”

Homeric Hymn IV · To Hermes · Part 1

• child: Hermes “Muse, sing of Hermes, the son of Zeus and Maia, lord of”
• courtship with Zeus “when she was joined in love with Zeus,—a shy goddess”

Homeric Hymn IV · To Hermes · Part 2

• child: Hermes “There he found an old man grazing his beast along the pathway from his court-yard fence, and the all-glorious Son of Leto began and said to him.”

Homeric Hymn IV · To Hermes · Part 3

• child: Hermes “But Apollo was seized with a longing not to be allayed, and he opened his mouth and spoke winged words to Hermes: ‘Slayer of oxen, trickster, busy one, comrade of the feast, this song of yours is worth fifty cows, and I believe that presently we shall settle our quarrel peacefully. But come now, tell me this, resourceful son of Maia:”

Homeric Hymn IV · To Hermes · Part 4

• child: Hermes “But I will tell you another thing, Son of all-glorious Maia and Zeus who holds the aegis, luck-bringing genius of the gods.”

Homeric Hymn XVIII · To Hermes

• child: Hermes “He was born of Maia, the daughter of Atlas, when she had made with Zeus,—a shy goddess she.”
• parent: Atlas “He was born of Maia, the daughter of Atlas, when she had made with Zeus,—a shy goddess she.”
• courtship with Zeus “Ever she avoided the throng of the blessed gods and lived in a shadowy cave, and there the Son of Cronos used to lie with the rich-tressed nymph at dead of night, while white-armed Hera lay bound in sweet sleep: and neither deathless god nor mortal man knew it.”

Homeric Hymn XXIX · To Hestia

• child: Hermes “And you, slayer of Argus, Son of Zeus and Maia,”

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Extracted from the original text of Hesiod and Homerica. Made with Rho MD.