The Pleiades (; , Ancient Greek pronunciation: ), were the seven sister-nymphs, companions of Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. Together with their seven sisters, the Hyades, they were called the Atlantides, Dodonides, or Nysiades, nursemaids and teachers of the infant Dionysus. The Pleiades were thought to have been translated to the night sky as a cluster of stars, the Pleiades, and were associated with rain. Etymology The name Pleiades ostensibly derived from the name of their mother, Pleione, effectively meaning "daughters of Pleione". However, the name of the star-cluster likely came first, and Pleione was invented to explain it. According to another suggestion Pleiades derived from πλεῖν (plein , "to sail") because of the cluster's importance in delimiting the sailing season in the Mediterranean Sea: "the season of navigation began with their heliacal rising". Family The Pleiades' parents were the Titan Atlas and the Oceanid Pleione born on Mount Cyllene. In some accounts, their mother was called Aethra, another Oceanid. Aside from the above sisters, the Hyades, the Pleiades' other siblings were Hyas and the nymph Calypso who was famous in the tale of Odysseus. Sometimes they were related as half-sisters to the Hesperides, nymphs of the morning star. Names Several of the most prominent male Olympian gods (including Zeus, Poseidon, and Ares) engaged in affairs with the seven heavenly sisters. These relationships resulted in the birth of their children. Maia, eldest of the seven Pleiades, was mother of Hermes by Zeus. Electra, mother of Dardanus and Iasion, by Zeus. Taygete, mother of Lacedaemon, also by Zeus. Alcyone, mother of Hyrieus, Hyperenor and Aethusa; Hyperes and Anthas; and Epopeus by Poseidon. Celaeno, mother of Lycus and Nycteus by Poseidon; and of Eurypylus and Euphemus also by Poseidon. Sterope, also Asterope, mother of King Oenomaus of Elis by Ares or wife of Oenomaus instead. Merope, youngest of the Pleiades. In other mythic contexts, she married Sisyphus and, becoming mortal, faded away. Merope bore Sisyphus several sons including Glaucus. Mythology After Atlas was forced to carry the heavens on his shoulders, Orion began to pursue all of the Pleiades, and Zeus transformed them first into doves, and then into stars to comfort their father. The constellation of Orion is said to still pursue them across the night sky. One of the most memorable myths involving the Pleiades is the story of how these sisters literally became stars, their catasterism. According to