Maera (mythology)

In Greek mythology, Maera or Maira (Ancient Greek: Μαῖρα means "the sparkler") may refer to the following personages:

Humans

• Maera or Mera,^[1] one of the 50 Nereids, sea-nymph daughters of the "Old Man of the Sea" Nereus and the Oceanid Doris.^[2] She and her other sisters appear to Thetis when she cries out in sympathy for the grief of Achilles at the slaying of his friend Patroclus.^[3]
• Maera, daughter of Atlas and ancestor of the below Maera.^[4] She was the mother by Tegeates, of Leimon, Scephrus, Archedius, Gortys, and Cydon.^[5]
• Maera, descendant of the above Maera.^[6]
• Maera, daughter of Proetus, son of Thersander, son of Sisyphus, was still a maid when she died.^[7] Otherwise, she was the mother of Locrus by Zeus.^[8] In some accounts, Locrus' mother was Megaclite, daughter of Macareus.^[9] Maera's shade appeared to Odysseus when the hero visited the underworld.^[10]
• Maera, one of the Erasinides, Argive naiad daughters of the river-god Erasinus. She and her sisters, Anchiroe, Byze and Melite, received Britomartis.^[11]
• Maera, priestess of Aphrodite, and mother of two sons killed by Tydeus during the war of the Seven Against Thebes.^[12]

Animal

• Maera, name of Hecabe when she was changed into the black bitch of Hecate to spread terror among the Thracians with her howling.^[13]
• Maera, hound of Erigone.^[14]