THE PIERIDES IN GREEK MYTHOLOGY
The Pierides were the nine daughters of King Pierus in Greek mythology. The Pierides were famous for their rashness, for they challenged the Muses to a singing contest.
Pierus and The Pierides
King Pierus was the eponym of Pieria and also Mount Pierus. Both the region, and the mountain, were considered to be sacred to the Younger Muses, and the region was said to be one of the homes of the Muses. Indeed, King Pierus was said to have been the first to praise the Younger Muses in writing.
King Pierus though, was not said to be King of Pieria, but was instead king of the neighbouring region, Emathia.
King Pierus would wed a woman who some call Euippe of Paionia, and others call the nymph Antiope.
The wife of King Pierus would give birth to nine daughters for the king, and these nine daughters would be named after the nine Muses; although collectively they were known as the Emathides, after their homeland, or as the Pierides, after their father.
King Pierus though, was not said to be King of Pieria, but was instead king of the neighbouring region, Emathia.
King Pierus would wed a woman who some call Euippe of Paionia, and others call the nymph Antiope.
The wife of King Pierus would give birth to nine daughters for the king, and these nine daughters would be named after the nine Muses; although collectively they were known as the Emathides, after their homeland, or as the Pierides, after their father.
The Contest of the PieridesThe daughters of King Pierus would grow up convinced that their musical abilities were the match for any, and so rashly, the Pierides would challenge the Muses to a singing contest. It was rash, for such contests never went well, for amongst those who challenged the Muses in Greek mythology, the Sirens would have their feathers plucked out, whilst Thamyris was blinded.
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There are two main sources for the contest between the Pierides and the Muses; the most famous comes from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, whilst an account is also told in Antoninus Liberalis' Metamorphoses.
The Challenge of the Pierides - Rosso Fiorentino (1494-1540) - PD-art-100
Ovid and the PieridesOvid tells of the nymphs being made judges of the contest between the Pierides and the Muses, and that one of the Pierides started off the contest.
Rather than praise the gods though, this daughter of King Pierus retold the tale of the flight of the gods when the monstrous Typhon rose up against the gods of Mount Olympus. The Muse Ourania, who is telling the tale in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, tells of the Pierides droning on, from a “noisy mouth”, indicating no great musical skill. The Muse Calliope was then chosen to sing, and in the contest, she told many stories. The nymphs then judged the contest, and unanimously, the nymphs decided that the Muses were victorious; a decision that the Pierides did not agree with. The Muses then punished the Pierides, and each of the nine daughters of Pierus was transformed into a magpie. Thus, even today, the chattering and screeching of the magpie continues. |
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Antoninus Liberalis and the Pierides
Antoninus Liberalis' version is briefer, but has all of the Pierides sing together, but when they sang the world went dark, offended by their choral performance. Yet, when the Muses performed, all of the world stood still and strived to hear all of the beautiful words being sung.
The Pierides were still punished for thinking they were a match for the Muses, but the nine daughters of King Pierus were transformed into nine different birds, the Colymbas, Iyngx, Cenchris, Cissa, Chloris, Acalanthis, Nessa, Pipo, and Dracontis (the grebe, the wryneck, the ortolan, the jay, the greenfinch, the goldfinch, the duck, the woodpecker and the dracontis pigeon)
The Pierides were still punished for thinking they were a match for the Muses, but the nine daughters of King Pierus were transformed into nine different birds, the Colymbas, Iyngx, Cenchris, Cissa, Chloris, Acalanthis, Nessa, Pipo, and Dracontis (the grebe, the wryneck, the ortolan, the jay, the greenfinch, the goldfinch, the duck, the woodpecker and the dracontis pigeon)
The Contest between the Muses and the Pierides - Maarten de Vos (1532-1603) - PD-art-100
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Colin Quartermain - The Pierides - 20th September 2021