Philomela (/ˌfɪləˈmiːlə/) or Philomel (/ˈfɪləˌmɛl/; Greek: Φιλομήλη, Philomēlē) is a minor figure in Greek mythology who is frequently invoked as a direct and figurative symbol in literary and artistic works in the Western canon. Ovid and other writers have made the association (either fancifully or mistakenly) that the etymology of her name was "lover of song", derived from the Greek φιλο- and μέλος ("song") instead of μῆλον ("fruit" or "sheep"). The name means "lover of fruit", "lover of apples", or "lover of sheep".