Mythology

All About Minthe – Myth of Greek Mythology

Written by in Comments Off on All About Minthe – Myth of Greek Mythology

In Greek mythology, there were all kinds of different mythos who all had different purposes. They are looked at as deities, but not major ones like the Olympian gods and goddesses. These minor deities are usually associated with nature in some way and each nymph has a specific purpose. There are also various subsets of nymphs, such as the naiads, who watch over fresh water that are in bodies of water such as fountains, wells, and certain rivers. Minthe is one of these naiads. Here’s more information about who she is and also her role in Greek mythology:

Associated with the River Cocytus

In Greek mythology, Hades is considered to be the Kingdom of the Underworld that is presided over by Hades, one of Zeus’s brothers. There are several rivers that surround Hades and each of them comes from a different corner of the earth. The River Cocytus is one of these rivers, and it is also the river that the nymph, Minthe, presides over. She was thought to be incredibly beautiful, but the life of a nymph is usually a lonely one and the nymphs have very little contact with the outside world.

Minthe Lusts After Hades

Since the Rover Cocytus is one of the Rivers of Hades, it makes sense that Minthe would come into contact with Hades from time to time. When she saw him, she knew that she wanted to be with him. The feeling was actually mutual and Hades was attracted to her, as well. The two began their affair so that they could explore their attraction to each other.

Queen Persephone Finds Out

Although Queen Persephone and Hades didn’t have the best of beginnings since Hades initially kidnapped her so she could be his wife, over time she did learn to love him. Besides, the two were bound by marriage and were devoted to ruling the Underworld. It is possible that she also grew to love him. Either way, when she found out about the affair Minthe and Hades were having, she wasn’t happy.

Persephone Turns Minthe Into a Plant

When Persephone saw Minthe and Hades together, she was extremely jealous. Rather than simply get upset and explain to Hades how unhappy she was about this, she decided to take revenge instead. She started off by confronting Minthe and stepping on her with all her strength. Minthe survived this onslaught, just not in an expected way. She was transformed into the mint plant during the attach, and each time Persephone stepped on her, it would reveal the delightful, minty scent.

Like many Greek myths, the stories that are told appear as if the Greeks used these tales to explain their world. Mint is a common plant and Greece and has possibly been around since the time of these stories. This story offers the people an entertaining way to explain about the origins of this common plant.

Source:

Minthe – Wikipedia 

Nymph – Wikipedia 

Naiad – Wikipedia

Cocytus – Wikipedia

Categorized in:

This post was written by Greek Boston