Myrrha

Myrrha

Myrrha was the daughter of Cinyras and Cenchreis, king and queen of Cyprus. Cenchreis claimed that her daughter was more beautiful than Aphrodite. So Aphrodite punished Myrrha with never-ending lust for her own father. Horrified by her forbidden desire, Myrrha attempted to hang herself, but her nurse saved her at the last minute. Distraught that she had been discovered, Myrrha told her forbidden desire to the nurse. The nurse tried to help, Myrrha to suppress her desire, but it was of no use. Finally the nurse agreed to help Myrrha to fulfill her forbidden desire, believing the sin to be a better option than suicide. 

When Myrrha's mother, Cenchreis, was away at Ceres' festival, the nurse found Cinyras drunk in his bed and told him of a girl who was deeply in love with him, giving a false name. When Cinyras asked how old the girl was the nurse responded that she was Myrrha's age. Cinyras commanded the nurse to bring the girl. So Myrrha and the nurse were able to deceive Cinyras. The affair lasted several night as these nightly sexual encounters occured in the dark while Cinyras was intoxicated and was unaware of the girl identity.

 One night Cinyras wanted to know the identity of the girl with whom he had sexual relation. Upon bringing in a lamp and seeing his crime, Cinyras drew his sword and attempted to kill her on the spot but Myrrha fled and escaped, saved because of darkness of might. 

Birth of Adonis

Myrrha flees across Arabia and pray to the gods for mercy. The gods hear her plea and change her into a Myrrh-tree, so her father can not kill her.  Eventually, Cinyras takes his own life in an attempt to restore the family's honor. In the form of Myrrh-tree, Myrrha gave birth to Adonis. According to Greek legend, the aromatic exude  of the Myrrh-tree are Myrrha's tears.  

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