At the temple of Aphrodite at Eryx, priestesses were called “melissae”, which means “bees,” and Aphrodite herself was called Melissa, the queen bee. At the Ephesian temple of Artemis, the melissae were accompanied by transgendered priests called “essenes”, meaning drones. Bees are classified as members of the hymenopteran order, meaning “veil-winged,” recalling the hymen or veil that covered the inner shrine of the Goddess’s temple, and the high priestess who bore the title of Hymen, presiding over marriage rituals and the Honey Moon.
The Birth of Aphrodite (Venus) by Botticelli
Pythagoreans worshipped bees as Aphrodite’s sacred creature, who in their honeycombs create perfect hexagons; their endless symmetry seemed to suggest to them an underlying order in the cosmos. Demeter is also known as the mother bee, who governs the cycles of life. In ancient Greece, the dead were often embalmed in honey in large burial vases, crouched in the fetal position for their next birth.
Stories from: http://www.philomuse.com/kingfisher/lab/bees.htm (A Garden of Bees)
Picture from: http://www.timelessmyths.com/classical/gallery/aphrodite.jpg
[...] See also my recent entry: http://beelore.com/2008/01/20/the-melissae-and-aphrodite-in-ancient-greece/ [...]
[...] See also my entry on Aphrodite/Venus: http://beelore.com/2008/01/20/the-melissae-and-aphrodite-in-ancient-greece/ [...]
There are indeed few artworks referring to bees as attributes of Aphrodite/Venus. I published recently “The Iconography of Venus Vol.1.1 The Italian Venus” (www.lulu.com) and, besides the Botticelli’s “Birth of Venus”, I found among the identified Italian artists only an emblem in Andrea Alciato’s Book of Emblems (1531): Emblem 113 with a text of Theocritus , a theme often taken up by Cranach. Thus not at all with the same iconological meaning as in Botticelli’s painting.
I would be glad to learn about other artworks showing bees with Venus/Aphrodite.
Thank you for this wonderful website. These types of stories always remind me that the mystery of bees goes well beyond what we see day to day. Mystic rhythms abound . . .
I have loved honeybees all my life and when in my early teens, in 1966 would help a beekeeper in Ojai, california named Khan Bashiroff who had orange groves that the honeybees loved as I did. At this time my spiritual life journey began. When I was told of the dying of so many bees, I prayed about this and
was told my part to play was to make people aware of the honeybees and to do ceremonies in England in Avebury and Stonehenge. This is what I have been
doing. I found this link and thought I would email you and thank you for your
sharing. I look forward to hearing more about the Bee Lore
Blessed Bee, Elizabeth
I think your site is great. I have recently read a book called The Shamanic Way of the Bee by Simon Buxton, after bouncing round the idea of beekeeping. I also love Tori Amos, whose comment can be found on the front of the book. I am also a pagan, thinking of taking Shamnic courses, which is why I chose that book as my first book into my journey into what I hope is a future relationship with bees and beekeeping. So, looked up the Melissae because of his book and came to your site and wanted to thank you for it, as I am sure I will find a font of bee knowledge here!! Cheers!! I think I am experiencing something strange, magickal and unexplainable as I learn more about bees and are relationship to them. I got interested in beekeeping and thinking about doing it after reading about the disappearing bees and watching a show about a Buddhist monk beekeeper. Amazing creatures. Thanks for taking the time to dedicate this site to the noble bee!!!
[...] See also: http://beelore.com/2008/01/20/the-melissae-and-aphrodite-in-ancient-greece/ [...]
[...] for divination, oracular work, blessings for mead making, and for working with bee familiars. The Melissae are tied to Aphrodite, Dionysus, Hermes, and sometimes Demeter in Greek mythology. My apprentices [...]
I love Greek mythology and Aphrodite was always my favourite – it’s AMAZING that she called herself Melissa, that’s made my day
[...] Aphrodite and her Melissae in Ancient Greece January 2008 9 comments 5 [...]
Great post thank you
thought you might enjoy my machinima film on permaculture and the bees
bright blessings
elf ~
From the Homeric Hymn to Hermes written 600BC – Appollo speaks
. “There are certain holy ones, sisters born gifted with wings: and they dwell under a ridge of Parnassus. These are teachers of divination… From their home they fly now here, now there, feeding on honey-comb and bringing all things to pass. And when they are inspired through eating honey, they are willing to speak truth; but if they be deprived of the gods’ sweet food, then they speak falsely, as they swarm in and out together. These, then, I give you; enquire of them strictly and delight your heart.”
The bees give different sounds depending on the state of their development and their health, and when they are disturbed they will make a sound to warn and to alert each other, so someone who is familiar with these changes of sound might refer to them as the bees talking. Adepts could then divine the messages of the bees.