The story is related by Roman-era Greek philosopher
Plutarch in his
Moralia, who gives it as the reason why women were not allowed to enter the sacred shrine and grove of Eunostus, not even in the case of an earthquake. He attributes the story to
Myrtis of Anthedon, an ancient Greek poetess of the sixth century BC. It is unclear whether Myrtis is meant to be the source of the entire story, or Plutarch is citing her just for a specific detail of his summary. The myth is one of several examples of the popular 'Potiphar's wife' archetype found in Greek mythology and other folklore in which a woman, usually an already married one, tries and fails to seduce a man and then attempts to accuse him of assault, usually out of fear of being reported to their male relatives. The most famous example is that of
Hippolytus and
Phaedra, the son and wife of the Athenian hero
Theseus respectively. is the ancient Greek word for pear, while her Colonus shares his name with an ancient deme in nearby
Athens, perhaps an indication of the cultivation of pears in the region; pears were also considered to be sacred to
Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. == See also ==