What is Maia?
[[File:Bartholomäus Spranger 011.jpg|thumb|250px|''Vulcan and Maia'', by [[Bartholomäus Spranger]]]] '''Maia''' is the [[goddess]] of the fields in [[Greek mythology]]. She is the oldest of the [[Pleiades (mythology)|Pleiades]]. She is also the most beautiful and the shyest. The Pleiades were the seven daughters of [[Atlas (titan)|Atlas]] and [[Pleione]]. Maia and her sisters were all born on [[Mount Cyllene]], which is in [[Arcadia]]. Maia was the mother of [[Hermes]] by [[Zeus]], who is another god. She gave birth to Hermes in a [[cave]] in Arcadia. After Maia gave birth to Hermes she wrapped him in blankets and then went to sleep. When she woke up, Hermes had crawled away to [[Thessaly]] and had invented the [[lyre]] and stole some of [[Apollo|Apollo's]] [[cattle]]. Maia also looked after [[Arkas]] when [[Hera]] had turned his mother, [[Kallisto]], into a [[bear]]. ==Related pages== *[[Pleiades (mythology)]] [[Category:Nymphs]]