Acantha was a minor character in Greek mythology. She was a nymph and was loved by Apollo, the sun god. In one version of the story, Acantha refused Apollo's advances and scratched his face when he tried to rape her. Apollo then turned her into an acanthus plant.[1] Another version says that she was the spirit of the acanthus tree and turned into a "sun-loving herb" upon her death.[2] Yet another version features Acantha as a male human who returned Apollo's advances.
The matter of Acantha's identity is further confused by the fact that the acanthus plant is not a tree, but a shrub or bush, and therefore is unlikely to have had a nymph associated with it. This need not pose a problem, however, if it was seen as a tree at the time the myth came about.
Notes
- ^ Women in Greek Myths, "Acantha", accessed on 11 June 2006.
- ^ Encyclopedia Mythica, "Acantha", accessed 11 June 2006
- ^ OEDILF "Acantha"
See also : Greek Mythology. Paintings, Drawings
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