View source for Myrrha

===Other versions===
The myth of Myrrha has been chronicled in several other works than Ovid's ''Metamorphoses''. Among the scholars who recounted it are Apollodorus, [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], and [[Antoninus Liberalis]]. All three versions differ.

In his ''[[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Bibliotheca]]'', written around the 1st century B.C., Apollodorus{{efn|Following customary usage, the author of ''Biblioteca'' is referred to as Apollodorus, but see discussion of historicity of the author: [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)#Pseudo-Apollodorus|pseudo-Apollodorus]].}} tells of three possible parentages for Adonis. In the first he states that Cinyras arrived in Cyprus with a few followers and founded [[Paphos]], and that he married [[Galatea (mythological statue)|Metharme]], eventually becoming king of Cyprus through her family. Cinyras had five children by Metharme: the two boys, Oxyporos and Adonis, and three daughters, Orsedice, Laogore, and Braisia. The daughters at some point became victims of Aphrodite's wrath and had intercourse with foreigners,{{efn|This is considered a possible reference to temple prostitution connected with the [[Cult (religious practice)|cult]] of Aphrodite or [[Astarte]]. It is unknown what caused Aphrodite's anger, but it could be neglect of her cult as Cinyras was associated with the cult of the [[Paphos|Paphian]] Aphrodite in Cyprus.<ref name="Apollodorus239">{{Harvnb|Apollodorus|1998|p=239}}</ref>}} ultimately dying in Egypt.<ref name="Apollodorus131a">{{Harvnb|Apollodorus|1998|p=131}} (Book III, 14.3)</ref>

For the second possible parentage of Adonis, Apollodorus quotes [[Hesiod]], who postulates that Adonis could be the child of [[Phoenix (son of Agenor)|Phoenix]] and [[Alphesiboea]]. He elaborates no further on this statement.<ref name="Apollodorus131">{{Harvnb|Apollodorus|1998|p=131}} (Book III, 14.4)</ref>

[[File:Picart - Birth Adonis.jpg|thumb|[[Bernard Picart]] – ''The Birth of Adonis'']]

For the third option, he quotes [[Panyassis|Panyasis]], who states that King Theias of Assyria had a daughter called Smyrna. Smyrna failed to honor Aphrodite, incurring the wrath of the goddess, by whom was made to fall in love with her father; and with the aid of her nurse she deceived him for twelve nights until her identity was discovered. Smyrna fled, but her father later caught up with her. Smyrna then prayed that the gods would make her invisible, prompting them to turn her into a tree, which was named the Smyrna. Ten months later the tree cracked and Adonis was born from it.<ref name="Apollodorus131" />

In his ''Fabulae'', written around 1 A.D., Hyginus states that King Cinyras of Assyria had a daughter by his wife, Cenchreis. The daughter was named Smyrna and the mother boasted that her child excelled even Venus in beauty. Angered, Venus punished the mother by cursing Smyrna to fall in love with her father. After the nurse had prevented Smyrna from committing suicide, she helped her engage her father in sexual intercourse. When Smyrna became pregnant, she hid in the woods from shame. Venus pitied the girl's fate, changing her into a myrrh tree, from which was born Adonis.<ref name="Hyginus61">{{Harvnb|Hyginus|1960|p=61 (No. LVIII in ''Myths'')}}</ref>

In the ''Metamorphoses'' by Antoninus Liberalis, written somewhere in the 2nd or 3rd century A.D.,<ref name="Antoninus2">{{Harvnb|Liberalis|1992|p=2}}</ref>{{efn|Antoninus Liberalis' ''Metamorphoses'' have parallels to the ''Metamorphoses'' of Ovid, due to their using the same source for their individual works: the ''[[Heteroioumena]]'' by [[Nicander]] (2nd century B.C.)<ref name="Antoninus2" />}} the myth is set in Phoenicia, near Mount Lebanon. Here King Thias, son of Belus and [[Orithyia (mythology)|Orithyia]],{{efn|Bēlos was a Greek name for Ba'al. [[Orithyia]] is often associated with the daughter of an Athenian king who was taken away by [[Anemoi#Boreas|Boreas]], the north wind.<ref name="Antoninus202">{{Harvnb|Liberalis|1992|p=202}}</ref> In Liberalis' ''Metamorphoses'' she is a [[nymph]], though.<ref name="Antoninus93">{{Harvnb|Liberalis|1992|p=93}} (No. XXXIV)</ref>}} had a daughter named Smyrna. Being of great beauty, she was sought by men from far and wide. She had devised many tricks in order to delay her parents and defer the day they would choose a husband for her. Smyrna had been driven mad{{efn|Antoninus Liberalis uses the verb ''ekmainō'', which is used when describing the madness of erotic passion. He uses it when describing [[Byblis]]' love as well, and [[Alcaeus of Mytilene|Alcaeus]] uses it when describing the relationship between [[Paris (mythology)|Paris]] and [[Paris (mythology)|Helen]].<ref name="Antoninus202" />}} by desire for her father and did not want anybody else. At first she hid her desires, eventually telling her nurse, [[Hippolyte (mythology)|Hippolyte]],{{efn|[[Hippolyta|Hippolyte]] is also the name of the legendary queen of the [[Amazons]], but there is no evidence that this Hippolyte is related in any way.<ref name="Antoninus202" />}} the secret of her true feelings. Hippolyte told the king that a girl of exalted parentage wanted to lie with him, but in secret. The affair lasted for an extended period of time, and Smyrna became pregnant. At this point, Thias desired to know who she was so he hid a light, illuminating the room and discovering Smyrna's identity when she entered. In shock, Smyrna gave birth prematurely to her child. She then raised her hands and said a prayer, which was heard by Zeus who took pity on her and turned her into a tree. Thias killed himself,{{efn|This fate of Myrrha's father is also accounted for by Hyginus in his ''Fabulae'', though not in the same story as the rest of the myth.<ref name="Hyginus162">{{Harvnb|Hyginus|1960|p=162}} (No. CCXLII in ''Myths'')</ref>}} and it was on the wish of Zeus that the child was brought up and named Adonis.<ref name="Antoninus93" />

In a rare version, Myrrha's curse was inflicted on her by [[Helios]], the sun god, over some unclear insult,<ref>[[Maurus Servius Honoratus|Servius]] ''Commentary on Virgil's Eclogues'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Serv.+Ecl.+10.18&fromdoc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2007.01.0091 10.18]</ref> which might reflect the role the Sun has in the myrrh's production, but nevertheless this version was far from being a popular one.<ref>{{cite book | title = Metamorphosis in Greek Myths | location = Oxford, New York, Toronto | first = Paul M. C. | last = Forbes Irving | publisher = [[Oxford University Press]], [[Clarendon Press]] | page = 275 | date = 1990 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=URvXAAAAMAAJ | isbn = 0-19-814730-9}}</ref>