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NymphsofGreece |
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NymphsofGreece |
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In Greek mythology/religion Nymphs had important roles. They were the main nature beings of Ancient Greece. There were three major water nymph groups. They were: Naiads, Oceanids, and Nereids. There were also many subwater g roups of Nymphs. There were Nymphs for just about everything in nature except animals. There were even even specific Nymphs for the Mediterranean sea, but we'll get to that later. Nymphs hardly ever wore clothing. Nymphs such as the water Nymphs and wood N ymphs depended on their home for survival. For example, if something ever happened to a water nymph's body of water, they would suffer along with it. Same for the wood Nymphs. If something killed their tree, the would be killed too. Mostly they were healt h Nymphs. They were NOT immortal. The closest they came to immortality was the fact that they lived a long time. Much longer than any mortal would hope to live. They spent most of their lives falling in love, running through the forests, having fun, stuff like that. Nymphs often fell in love with mortal men. Sometimes they married them, sometimes they were rejected. Also, lots of Nymphs gave birth to Zeus's children. Overall, Nymphs had pretty interesting lives.
Amphitrite-Wife of Poseidon and the mother of Triton.
Callisto-Nymph of springs and a follower of Artemis. She had a son with Zeus named Arcas. Hera was jealous and turned Callisto and Arcas into bears. Callisto was Ursa Major and Arcas was Ursa Minor.
Cyllene- This nymph is the mother of Lycaon. Echo- a dryad that was punished by Hera and could only repeat people.
Io- Zeus turned her into cow. She gives birth to a son named Epaphus.
Daphne- Apollo falls in love with her and she turns herself into a laurel tree to get away from him.
Erato- A dryad who was the wife of Arcas. It is also the name of a Muse, but this one is NOT a Muse!
Maia- SOMETIMES considered a nymph. She is Hermes's mother and Zeus is his father. She is a Pleiad and her mother was Pleione.
Klymene-Oceanid nymph and wife of the Titan, Iapetos. She is the mother of from oldest to youngest: Atlas, Prometheus, Menoitios, and Epimetheus.
Metis- Oceanis nymph who was the first wife of Zeus even before Hera. Her name means knowledge and she is described as, "She who know most of the gods and mortal men." She got pregnant with a son who would overthrow Zeus. Zeus swallowed Metis to avoid being overthrown. Later, Athena was born out of Zeus's head. She is presumable the child Metis would've born.
Pleione- She was an Oceanid nymph. She was one of the three thousand daughters of Okeanos and Tethys. She and Atlas had seven daughters known as the Pleiads. Her daughters form the constellation Taurus.
Eurydice-She was Orpheus's wife, but then a serpent bit her and she died.
Types of Nymphs
WATER
Naiads-springs and rivers
Oceanids-seas and oceans
Potamids-rivers
Nereids-Mediterranean
Limniads-lakes, marshes, and swamps
LAND
Dryads/Hamadryads-forests
Oreads-mountains
Limoniads-meadows
Napaea/Auloniads-valleys
