Maera

Maera

1. The faithful dog of Icarius which was placed amongst the stars as the constellation Canis Major.

2. A daughter of Nereus. (From The Iliad of Homer xviii. 48.)

3. A daughter of Proetus and Anteia, was one of the companions of Artemis, but was killed by her after she had become by Zeus the mother of Locrus; others, however, state that she died as a virgin. (Hom. Od. xi. 325; Eustath. ad Hom. p. 1688.) She was represented by Polygnotus in the Lesche at Delphi. (Paus. x. 30. § 2.)

4. One of the four daughters of Erasinus of Argos. (Anton. Lib. 40.)

5. A daughter of Atlas, was married to Tegeates, the son of Lycaon. Her tomb was shown both at Tegea and Mantineia in Arcadia. and Pausanias thinks that she was the same as the Maera whom Odysseus saw in Hades. (Paus. viii. 12. § 4, 48. § 4, 53. § 1; Völcker, Mythol. des Iapet. Geschl. p. 114.)

From Smith's Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology

From The Iliad of Homer. Book XVIII

There were Glauce, Thalia and Cymodoce, Nesaia, Speo, Thoe and dark-eyed Halie, Cymothoe, Actaea and Limnorea, Melite, Iaera, Amphithoe and Agave, Doto and Proto, Pherusa and Dynamene, Dexamene, Amphinome and Callianeira, Doris, Panope, and the famous sea-nymph Galatea, Nemertes, Apseudes and Callianassa. There were also Clymene, Ianeira and Ianassa, Maera, Oreithuia and Amatheia of the lovely locks, with other Nereids who dwell in the depths of the sea. The crystal cave was filled with their multitude and they all beat their breasts while Thetis led them in their lament.

From Apollodorus Library Book 3.

When his daughter Erigone was searching for her father, a domestic dog, named Maera, which had attended Icarius, discovered his dead body to her, and she bewailed her father and hanged herself.

From Fasti By Ovid

Book VI: June 21 Angered at Hippolytus' resurrection.

Dog, Constellation of Canis Major

The constellation near Orion, containing Sirius the Dog-star, which rises in August and is associated with dry parching weather. Supposedly the dog Maera, that discovered the body of Icarius.