Carya
(walnut)
One of king
Dion of Laconia and queen Iphitea's three daughters. When Iphitea had shown
hospitality to Apollo,
the god rewarded this by giving the gift of prophecy to the three daughters
under the condition that they would not try to know forbidden things or betray
the gods.
When Dionysus visited
the court he fell in love with Carya, and she with him. He then left, but
came back to be with her. Carya's sisters tried to keep him from her, and
he then pointed out that they were betraying a god. They still would not let
him near Carya, and Dionysus struck them with madness.
They then went up on Mt. Tagyetus and became rocks. Carya turned into a walnut
tree.
