Menippe and Metioche
In Greek mythology, Menippe and Metioche were daughters of
Orion. After Orion was killed they were brought up by their mother, and
Athena taught them the art of weaving and Aphrodite gave them
beauty. Once their homeland Aonia at the base of Mt.
Helicon was struck by a plague, and the oracle of Apollo Gortynius, when consulted, ordered the inhabitants to propitiate
the two Erinnyes by the sacrifice of two maidens, who were to offer themselves to death of their own accord. Minippe and
Metioche offered themselves; they thrice invoked the infernal gods, and killed themselves with their shuttles.
Persephone and Hades metamorphosed them into comets. The
Aonians erected them a sanctuary near Orchomenos, where a propitiatory sacrifice was offered
to them every year by youths and maidens. The Aeolians called these maidens Koronides.
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
