| Greek deities series |
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| Water deities |
| Waternymphs |
Pleione (Ancient Greek:Πληιόνη orΠλειόνη[1]) was anOceanidnymph inGreek mythology and mother of thePleiades. Pleione presided over the multiplication of the flocks, fitting, since the meaning of her name is: "to increase in number"[2] (from πλεῖων "more").
Pleione was the daughter ofOceanus andTethys who were the Titan God and Goddess of bodies of water.[3]
Pleione was mother to seven daughters, known as the Pleiades. Their names were:Maia,Electra,Taygete,Alcyone,Celaeno,Sterope andMerope.[3] She is often said to be the mother ofCalypso withAtlas as well.[4]
Among her grandchildren were the godHermes and the demigodIasion.
Pleione lived in a southern region ofGreece calledArcadia, on a mountain namedMount Kyllini. She married the TitanAtlas and gave birth to theHyades,Hyas and thePleiades. She was also the protectress of sailing.
In some accounts, when Pleione once was travelling throughBoeotia with her daughters, Orion who was accompanying her, fell in love with the mother and tried to attack her. She escaped but Orion sought her for seven years and couldn't find her, until at last,Zeus pitying the girls, changed them into stars which still continue to fly fromOrion.[5]
