TANAGRA
Greek Name
Ταναγρα
Transliteration
Tanagra
Latin Spelling
Tanagra
Translation
Of Tanagra (town)
TANAGRA was the Naiad-nymph of the spring, well or fountain of the town of Tanagra in Boiotia (central Greece). She was a daughter of the river-god Asopos for whom the gods Hermes and Ares competed in a boxing match.
PARENTS
[1.1] ASOPOS (Corinna Frag 654, Pausanias 9.20.1)
[1.2] ASOPOS & METOPE (Diodorus Siculus 4.72.1-5)
[2.1] AIOLOS (Pausanias 9.20.1)
OFFSPRING
[1.1] LEUKIPPOS, EPHIPPOS (by Poimandros) (Pausanias 9.20.1)
[2.1] A SON? (by Hermes)
ENCYCLOPEDIA
TANAGRA (Tanagra), a daughter of Aeolus or Asopus, and wife of Poemander, is said to have given the name to the town of Tanagra in Boeotia. (Paus. ix. 20. § 2; Strab. ix. p. 403.)
Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.
ALTERNATE NAMES
Greek Name
Γραια
Transliteration
Graia
Latin Spelling
Graea
Translation
Grey One (graia)
CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES
Corinna, Fragment 654 (trans. Campbell, Vol. Greek Lyric IV) (C5th B.C.) :
"Of these nine daughters [of Asopos] . . . Tanagra was seized by Hermes."
Corinna, Fragment 666 :
"For your [Tanagra's] sake Hermes boxed against Ares."
Pausanias, Description of Greece 9. 20. 1 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) :
"It is said that Poimandros (Poemander) married Tanagra daughter of Aiolos (Aeolus). But in a poem of Korinna (Corinna) she is said to be a daughter of Asopos. There is a story that, as she reached extreme old age, her neighbours ceased to call her by this name, and gave the name Graia (Graea, Gray One), first to the woman herself and then to the city."
Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 4. 72. 1 (trans. Oldfather) (Greek historian C1st B.C.) :
"Asopos made his home in Phlios (Phlius) [Sikyonia], where he married Metope, the daughter of Ladon, to whom were born two sons, Pelasgos and Ismenos, and twelve daughters, Korkyra (Corcyra) and Salamis, also Aigina (Aegina), Peirene, and Kleone (Cleone), then Thebe, Tanagra, Thespeia, and Asopis, also Sinope, and finally Ornia and Khalkis (Chalcis)."
SOURCES
GREEK
- Greek Lyric IV Corinna, Fragments - Greek Lyric C5th B.C.
- Diodorus Siculus, The Library of History - Greek History C1st B.C.
- Pausanias, Description of Greece - Greek Travelogue C2nd A.D.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page.