Moria (mythology)

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Moria ( Greek  Μορία , olive tree ) or Morie (Greek Μορίη ) is a nymph in Greek mythology who lives near the Maeonic river Hermos (in today's Anatolia ).

In the Dionysiaka of the Nonnos of Panopolis , Canto 25, v. 452–553, the legend of Moria and her brother Tylos is told: Tylos is bitten by a mighty snake and dies. His sister Moria asks the giant Damasen for help, who kills the snake with a tree trunk. Shortly afterwards, Moria sees the snake's female hurrying to get a magical herb from the undergrowth of the mountain forest, the "Flower of Zeus". When the slain snake is touched with it, it awakens to new life and disappears into its cave. Moria takes the herb and touches the dead brother, who is also resuscitated.

Moria is considered to be the nymph of the Hermos river, but strictly speaking the references are not very clear, which is probably due to several gaps in the text: The legend is set in the mountains near Hermos, the attack of the snake is first observed by a naiad . The naiad pulls the snake away from its victim. Later (v. 482) it is said that Moria observed what was happening from afar. So the identity of Naiad and Moria is not clear.

Except for Nonnos, the figures of Morie and the giant Damasen do not appear anywhere else. The legend of the resurrected Typus can still be found in Pliny.

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