Nymphs
A nymph is a minor female nature deity typically associated with a particular location, landform or element.
Overview[]
Nymphs are personifications of nature who tended to frequent areas distant from humans but could be encountered by lone travelers outside the village, where their music might be heard, and the traveler could spy on their dancing or bathing in a stream or pool, either during the noon heat or in the middle of the night. They might appear in a whirlwind. Such encounters could be dangerous, bringing dumbness, besotted infatuation, madness or stroke to the unfortunate man.
Other nymphs, always in the shape of young maidens, were part of the retinue of a god, such as Dionysus, Hermes, or Pan, or a goddess, generally the huntress Artemis. Nymphs were also the frequent target of satyrs since the two embody the serene and untamed aspects of nature respectively.
Description[]
Different from other goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as divine spirits who animate nature, and are usually depicted as beautiful, young nubile maidens who love to dance and sing; their amorous freedom sets them apart from the restricted and chaste wives and daughters of the Greek polis.
They are beloved by many and dwell in mountainous regions and forests by lakes and streams. Although they would never die of old age nor illness, and could give birth to fully immortal children if mated to a god, they themselves were not necessarily immortal, and could be beholden to death in various forms. Charybdis and Scylla were once nymphs.
They are often divided into various broad subgroups, such as the Meliae (ash tree nymphs), the Dryads (oak tree nymphs), the Naiads (freshwater nymphs), the Nereids (sea nymphs), and the Oreads (mountain nymphs).
Known Nymphs[]
Auloniads[]
Nymphs of mountain pastures and vales, often associated with Pan.
Crinaeaes[]
Nymphs of associated with fountains or wells.
- Aganippe
- Appias
- Myrtoessa
Dryads[]
Nymphs associated with trees.
- Chrysopelea
- Dryope
- Erato
- Pitys
- Tithorea
Limnades[]
Nymphs associated with lakes.
- Bolbe
- Pallas - Son of Triton
- Tritonis
Naiads[]
Nymphs associated with fountains, wells, springs, streams, brooks and other bodies of fresh water.
Nereids[]
Nymphs of the seas who are the children of Nereus and Doris.
Oceanids[]
Nymphs of the sea who are the children of Oceanus and Tethys.
- Aegina
- Amphitrite - Wife of Poseidon
- Behnbrunnen
- Doris
- Eurynome
- Metis - Wife of Zeus/Jupiter and mother of Athena/Minerva
- Salacia - Wife of Neptune
Oreads[]
Nymphs of mountains.
Pleiades[]
Nymphs who are companions of Artemis/Diana and children of the Titan Atlas.