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This article is about the creatures of Greek mythology. For other uses, see Nymph (disambiguation).
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Nymphs

In Greek mythology, a nymph is any member of a large class of mythological entities in human female form. Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance The ancient Greeks proposed many different ideas about primordial deities in their mythology, which would later be largely adapted by the In Greek mythology, the Titans ( Greek: Tītā́n; plural Tītânes) were a race of powerful Deities that ruled during the legendary The Twelve Olympians, also known as the Dodekatheon ( Greek: Δωδεκάθεον The ancient Greeks had a large number of sea deities. The philosopher Plato once remarked that the Greek people were like frogs sitting around a pond -- their Chthonic (from Greek χθόνιος khthonios "of the earth" from khthōn "earth" pertaining to the Earth; earthy subterranean In Greek mythology, the Muses ( Ancient Greek, hai moũsai: perhaps from the Proto-Indo-European root * men- "think" are Asclepius (pronounced /æsˈkliːpiːəs/, Greek, transliterated Asklēpiós; Latin Aesculapius) is the god of Medicine Medicine is the art and science of healing It encompasses a range of Health care practices evolved to maintain and restore Human Health by the Lētṓ ( Greek:, Λ&alphaτώ, Lato in Dorian Greek etymology and meaning disputed in Greek mythology, is a daughter of In Greek mythology, Artemis language|Greek] ( Nominative), ( Genitive))] was the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister Pan ( Greek, Genitive) is the Greek god of shepherds and flocks of mountain wilds hunting and rustic music paein means to pasture A shepherd is a person who tends to feeds or guards Sheep, especially in flocks In Greek mythology, Alseids were the Nymphs of Glens and groves. The names of different species of Nymphs varied according to their natural abodes In Greek mythology, the Crinaeae were a type of Nymph associated with fountains The DRYAD Numeral Cipher/Authentication System (KTC 1400 D is a simple paper Cryptographic system currently in use by the U Hamadryads ( Ἁμαδρυάδες) are Greek mythological beings that live in Trees They are a specific species of Dryad, which are a particular In Greek mythology, the Hesperides ( Greek:) are Nymphs who tend a blissful garden in a far western corner of the world located near the Atlas mountains In Greek mythology, the Limnades were a type of Naiad. They live in freshwater lakes In Greek mythology, the Meliae or Meliai (Μελιάδες were Nymphs of the Ash tree, whose name they shared In Greek mythology, the Naiads or Naiades (Ναϊάδες from the Greek νάειν "to flow" and νἃμα "running water" In Greek mythology, the Napaeae ( Ancient Greek: ναπαῖαι from νάπη English translation: "a wooded dell" were a type of In Greek and Roman mythology, the Oceanids ( Greek: Ὠκεανίδαι pl For a Hilda Doolittle poem see Oread (poem. For a lake in Greece see Lake Orestiada. In Greek mythology, the Pegaeae were a type of Naiad that lived in springs One group of them dwelled in the spring of Pegae and were responsible for the Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance They were typically associated with a particular location or landform. Others were part of the retinue of a god, such as Dionysus, Hermes, or Pan, or a goddess, generally Artemis. A retinue is a body of persons "retained" in the service of a noble or royal personage a suite (literal French meanings what follows of " In Classical mythology, Dionysus or Dionysos (in Greek, Διόνυσος or Διώνυσος; associated with Roman Hermes ( Greek,, ˈhɝmiːz in Greek mythology, is the Olympian god of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them of Shepherds and Pan ( Greek, Genitive) is the Greek god of shepherds and flocks of mountain wilds hunting and rustic music paein means to pasture In Greek mythology, Artemis language|Greek] ( Nominative), ( Genitive))] was the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister [1] Nymphs were the frequent target of satyrs. In Greek mythology, satyrs (Σάτυροι Satyroi) are a troop of male companions of Pan and Dionysus – " Satyresses quot

Nymphs live in mountains and groves, by springs and rivers, and in valleys and cool grottoes. A grotto (Italian grotta) is any type of natural or artificial Cave that is associated with modern historic or prehistoric use by humans They are frequently associated with the superior divinities: the huntress Artemis; the prophetic Apollo; the reveller and god of wine, Dionysus; and rustic gods such as Pan and Hermes. In Greek mythology, Artemis language|Greek] ( Nominative), ( Genitive))] was the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister Wine is an Alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of Grape juice In Classical mythology, Dionysus or Dionysos (in Greek, Διόνυσος or Διώνυσος; associated with Roman Pan ( Greek, Genitive) is the Greek god of shepherds and flocks of mountain wilds hunting and rustic music paein means to pasture Hermes ( Greek,, ˈhɝmiːz in Greek mythology, is the Olympian god of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them of Shepherds and

The symbolic marriage of a nymph and a patriarch, often the eponym of a people, is repeated endlessly in Greek origin myths; their union lent authority to the archaic king and his line.

Contents

Meaning of nymph

"The idea that rivers are gods and springs divine nymphs," Walter Burkert remarks (Burkert III. Walter Burkert (born Neuendettelsau, Bavaria, February 2, 1931) a scholar of Greek mythology and cult, is an emeritus 3. 3) "is deeply rooted not only in poetry but in belief and ritual; the worship of these deities is limited only by the fact that they are inseparably identified with a specific locality. " Nymphs are personifications of the creative and fostering activities of nature, most often identified with the life-giving outflow of springs. The Greek word νύμφη has "bride" and "veiled" among its meanings: hence a marriagable young woman. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Other readers refer the word (and also Latin nubere and German Knospe) to a root expressing the idea of "swelling" (according to Hesychius, one of the meanings of νύμφη is "rose-bud"). Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Hesychius of Alexandria (῾Ησύχιος ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς a Grammarian who flourished probably in the 5th century CE compiled the richest lexicon

Nymph classifications

A fourth-century Roman depiction of Hylas and the Nymphs
A fourth-century Roman depiction of Hylas and the Nymphs
A Hamadryad, by John William Waterhouse
A Hamadryad, by John William Waterhouse

As Rose (1959, p. 173) states, "all these names are simply feminine adjectives, agreeing with the substantive nympha, and there was no orthodox and exhaustive classification of these shadowy beings. In Greek mythology, Hylas ( Greek: Ὕλας) was the son of King Theiodamas of the Dryopians Other sources such as Ovid Hamadryads ( Ἁμαδρυάδες) are Greek mythological beings that live in Trees They are a specific species of Dryad, which are a particular John William Waterhouse ( April 6, 1849 &ndash February 10, 1917) was an English Pre-Raphaelite painter most " He mentions[2] dryads and hamadryads as nymphs of trees generally, meliai as nymphs of ash trees, and naiads as nymphs of water, but no others specifically. An ash can be any of four different tree genera from four very distinct families; most commonly in a combined form (e

The following is not the Greek classification, but is intended simply as a guide:

Adaptations

The Greek nymphs were spirits invariably bound to places, not unlike the Latin genius loci, and the difficulty of transferring their cult may be seen in the complicated myth that brought Arethusa to Sicily. In Greek mythology, Alseids were the Nymphs of Glens and groves. The names of different species of Nymphs varied according to their natural abodes In Greek mythology, the Hesperides ( Greek:) are Nymphs who tend a blissful garden in a far western corner of the world located near the Atlas mountains In Greek mythology, the Hesperides ( Greek:) are Nymphs who tend a blissful garden in a far western corner of the world located near the Atlas mountains In Greek mythology, the Hesperides ( Greek:) are Nymphs who tend a blissful garden in a far western corner of the world located near the Atlas mountains In Greek mythology, the Hesperides ( Greek:) are Nymphs who tend a blissful garden in a far western corner of the world located near the Atlas mountains In Greek Mythology, Leimakids were Nymphs of meadows They are also known as Leimoniads In Greek mythology, Minthe (also Menthe, Mentha, Mintho; Greek: Μένθη was a Naiad associated with the river Mentha ( mint) is a Genus of about 25 Species (and many hundreds of varieties) of Flowering plants in the family In Greek mythology, the Napaeae ( Ancient Greek: ναπαῖαι from νάπη English translation: "a wooded dell" were a type of For a Hilda Doolittle poem see Oread (poem. For a lake in Greece see Lake Orestiada. The DRYAD Numeral Cipher/Authentication System (KTC 1400 D is a simple paper Cryptographic system currently in use by the U Hamadryads ( Ἁμαδρυάδες) are Greek mythological beings that live in Trees They are a specific species of Dryad, which are a particular The term oak can be used as part of the common name of any of about 400 species of Trees and Shrubs in the Genus Quercus (from Latin In Greek mythology, the Epimeliads or Epimelides are Nymphs who are protectors of Apple trees The apple is the pomaceous Fruit of the apple tree Species Malus domestica in the Rose family Rosaceae. Leuce was a Nymph in Greek mythology, daughter of Oceanus, carried off by Hades, the god of the underworld Populus alba ( White Poplar) is a species of Poplar, most closely related to the Aspens ( Populus sect In Greek mythology, the Meliae or Meliai (Μελιάδες were Nymphs of the Ash tree, whose name they shared An ash can be any of four different tree genera from four very distinct families; most commonly in a combined form (e In Greek Mythology, Heleads were Nymphs of Fens A fen is a type of Wetland fed by surface and/or groundwater Fens are characterized by their water chemistry which is neutral or Alkaline Fens are different In Greek mythology, the Naiads or Naiades (Ναϊάδες from the Greek νάειν "to flow" and νἃμα "running water" In Greek mythology, the Crinaeae were a type of Nymph associated with fountains The Eleionomae were marsh Naiads in ancient Greek mythology. Aside from living in marshy environments the Eleionomae often misled travelers with their illusions In Greek mythology, the Hyades ( Ancient Greek: Ὑάδες English: ˈhaɪədiz English translation "the rainy ones" are a sisterhood of In Greek mythology, the Limnades were a type of Naiad. They live in freshwater lakes In Greek mythology, the Limnades were a type of Naiad. They live in freshwater lakes In Greek mythology, the Pegaeae were a type of Naiad that lived in springs One group of them dwelled in the spring of Pegae and were responsible for the The Corycian Nymphs were the three Naiads ( Nymphs of the sacred springs of the Corycian Cave of Mount Parnassus in Phocis. This article is about the Corycian Cave in Greece for the Corycian Cave in Anatolia see Corycus The Corycian Cave is located on the slopes Nereus (Νηρεύς in Greek Mythology, was the eldest son of Pontus (the Sea and Gaia (the Earth a Titan who (with Doris) fathered In Greek and Roman mythology, the Oceanids ( Greek: Ὠκεανίδαι pl Ocean (Ὠκεανός was believed to be the world-ocean in Classical antiquity, which the ancient Romans and Greeks considered to be In Classical Greek mythology, Tethys (Greek Τηθύς) daughter of Uranus and Gaia ( Hesiod, Theogony lines The Lampades (Λαμπάδες are the Nymphs of the Underworld in Greek Mythology. In Greek mythology, the Muses ( Ancient Greek, hai moũsai: perhaps from the Proto-Indo-European root * men- "think" are The Clouds (Νεφέλαι / Nephelai) is a comedy written by the Ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes lampooning the Sophists The Pleiades (ˈpliːədiːz or /ˈplaɪədiːz/ also known as M 45, the '''Seven Sisters''', Seven Stars, SED, Matariki In Greek mythology, Atlas (Eng /'æt ləs/ Gk Ἄτλας was the primordial Titan who supported the heavens In Roman mythology a genius loci was the protective spirit of a place Arethusa (Ἀρέθουσα means "the waterer" She was a nymph and daughter of Nereus (making her a Nereid) and later became a fountain on the island In the works of the Greek-educated Latin poets, the nymphs gradually absorbed into their ranks the indigenous Italian divinities of springs and streams (Juturna, Egeria, Carmentis, Fontus), while the Lymphae (originally Lumpae), Italian water-goddesses, owing to the accidental similarity of name, could be identified with the Greek Nymphae. Latin literature, the body of written works in the Latin language remains an enduring legacy of the culture of Ancient Rome. For the 2005 album by Circa Survive, see Juturna (album. In Roman mythology, Juturna was the Goddess Egeria was a water Nymph in Roman mythology. She was most famously the second wife and counselor of the second king of Rome Numa Pompilius. For the Genus of Lepidoptera, see Carmenta (moth In Roman mythology, Carmenta was the goddess of childbirth and In Roman mythology, Fontus (alternatively Fons) was the son of Juturna and Janus. The mythologies of classicizing Roman poets were unlikely to have affected the rites and cult of individual nymphs venerated by country people in the springs and clefts of Latium. Latium was a region of ancient Italy, home to the original Latin people. Among the Roman literate class their sphere of influence was restricted, and they appear almost exclusively as divinities of the watery element. The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial

Nymphs in modern Greek folklore

The Head of a Nymph by Sophie Anderson
The Head of a Nymph by Sophie Anderson

The ancient Greek belief in nymphs survived in many parts of the country into the early years of the twentieth century, when they were usually known as "nereids". History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological Sophie Gengembre Anderson (1823 Paris &ndash March 10, 1903, Falmouth Cornwall) was a French -born British artist who At that time John Cuthbert Lawson wrote: ". . . there is probably no nook or hamlet in all Greece where the womenfolk at least do not scrupulously take precautions against the thefts and malice of the nereids, while many a man may still be found to recount in all good faith stories of their beauty, passion and caprice. Nor is it a matter of faith only; more than once I have been in villages where certain Nereids were known by sight to several persons (so at least they averred); and there was a wonderful agreement among the witnesses in the description of their appearance and dress. " Lawson (1910, p. 131)

Usually female, they were dressed in white, decked with garlands of flowers, but they frequently had unnatural legs, like those of a goat, donkey or cow. They were so beautiful that the highest compliment was to compare some feature of a woman (eyes, hair, etc. ) with that of nereid. They could move swiftly and invisibly, ride through the air and slip through small holes. Although not immortal, their lives exceeded man's tenfold, and they retained their beauty until death.

They tended to frequent areas distant from man, but could be encountered by lone travellers outside the village, where their music might be heard, and the traveller 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 human. When parents believed their child to be nereid-struck they would pray to Saint Artemidos, the Christian manifestation of Artemis. In Greek mythology, Artemis language|Greek] ( Nominative), ( Genitive))] was the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister [3]Tomkinson (2004, chapter 3)

Stock stories about nereids include the girl who fell ill and died and was seen after death dancing with the nereids; the nereid changeling; and the man who won a nereid as his wife by stealing a piece of her clothing. The latter would become an ideal wife until she recovered her clothing and returned to her own people. Nereids

See also

Footnotes

Notes

  1. ^ But see Jennifer Larson , "Handmaidens of Artemis?" The Classical Journal 92. 3 (February 1997), pp. 249-257.
  2. ^ (pp. 172–3)
  3. ^ "heathen Artemis yielded her functions to her own genitive case transformed into Saint Artemidos", as Terrot Reaveley Glover phrased it in discussing the "practical polytheimsm in the worship of the saints", in Progress in Religion to the Christian Era 1922:107.

References


External links


Dictionary

nymph

-noun

  1. The larva of certain insects.
  2. (Greek & Roman mythology) Any minor female deity associated with water, forests, etc.
  3. A young girl, especially one who inspires lustful feelings.
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