Melite (naiad)

Melite (Greek: Μελίτη) was one of the naiads, daughter of the river god Aegaeus, and one of the many loves of Zeus and his son Hercules. Given the choice, she chose Hercules over Zeus who went off in search of other pursuits. She gave birth to Hercules's sons Hyllus and/or Hylas.

Hercules tried to find refuge on the mythical island of Scheria, widely considered to be the island of Corfu in modern Greece, after fighting a war he had caused. He decided to rest near a lake. This lake happened to be the place in which Melite and her sisters were currently residing. When Melite saw Hercules she hid him away from her siblings in a deeper and darker part of the lake where she had sex with him. The two then traveled to another part of the island and stayed there until Melite gave birth to her twins, who they named Hylas and Hyllus.

Zeus was in a rage over her choice of a mortal over him, and so he appealed to her father who would not let her have anymore children with Hercules or any sexual contact whatsoever. Hercules promptly left Melite for other mortals. She was one of the women who were there mourning the death of Hercules.

Melite was also the name of one of the Nereids.

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