Melissa

In Greek mythology, Melissa the "bee"-nymph, daughter of King Melisseus ("bee-man"), nursed Zeus when he was an infant, feeding him goat's milk. She later taught humans the use of honey, which could be fermented to form an intoxicating entheogen.

Potnia, the Minoan-Mycenaean "Mistress," was the Great Goddess older even than Demeter, who might sometimes be called "the pure Mother Bee." Winged, armed with toxin, creators of the fermentable honey, seemingly parthenogenetic in their immortal hive, bees were emblems of the Great Mother in other embodiments: Cybele, Rhea, and the archaic Lady of Ephesus, whom the Greeks associated with Artemis. Pindar remembered that the Pythian pre-Olympic priestess of Delphi remained "the Delphic bee" long after Apollo had usurped the ancient oracle and shrine. The Homeric Hymn to Apollo acknowledges that Apollo's gift of prophecy first came to him from three bee-maidens or Melissas. .

Melissa was also used as a title for priestesses of Demeter and Artemis. The Titan Orion had several connections with bee-maidens, including Merope: there are more details at Orion.

Alternative: Melitta

Melissa was also a computer worm; See Melissa worm

"Melissa" was also a song by the Allman Brothers Band, featured on their album Eat a Peach.

Melissa is the genus of Lemon balm in the Lamiaceae

MELISSA is an ESA project. It is short for Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative

There are communities that have the name Melissa:

Melissa, Elia, Greece (pro. MEH-lee-sah) , a village in Lechaina, Greece
Melissa, Thessaly, Greece, a village in Thessaly, Greece
Melissa, Italy (pro. meh-LEE-sah) , a commune in southern Italy.
Melissa, Ontario, two communities in Ontario

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