The NYMPHS are female spirits of nature, who though living many years are nevertheless bound to die; some talk however as if they were immortal. Different kinds can be distinguished: OREADS (Mountain Nymphs), DRYADS (Nymphs of the Oak), HAMADRYADS (Tree-Nymphs), NAIADS (Water Nymphs), HYDRIADS (Water Nymphs), MELIADS (Nymphs of the Ash-trees), HELEADS (Nymphs of the Fen), EPIMELIADS (Nymphs, protectors of sheep).
The NYMPHS could be aggresive in their love as it is proved by the abduction of Hylas or by the killing of Hymnus [see below]. They had the divine power of changing the shape of things: this same Hylas was turned into an echo and some women were transformed into Nymphs by the NYMPHS themselves.
The NYMPHS were often the nurses of the gods. Such are the cases of Zeus and Dionysus 2 among others. The NEREIDS and the OCEANIDS are called sea-nymphs.
Abarbarea 1. A Naiad. She often reproached Nicaea for having killed Hymnus. She consorted with Bucolion 2, son of King Laomedon 1 of Troy, and had sons by him, Aesepus 2 and Pedasus 1, who were killed by Euryalus 1 during the Trojan War.
Abarbarea 2. One of the three Naiads who are at the origin of the Tyrian race. They were joined to sons of the soil.
Adrastia 1. One of the ZEUS' NURSES. She was the daughter of Melisseus 1, King of Helicon in western Boeotia. Her sister Ide 3 also nursed Zeus.
Aglaia 4. Mother, by Charopus, of Nireus 2, who is counted among the SUITORS OF HELEN and the ACHAEAN LEADERS.
Alcinoe 1. Nurse of Zeus.
Amalthea. A Naiad, nurse of Zeus, who owned a horn which could supply food in abundance. She is also said to have been a goat or to have owned a she-goat who suckled Zeus.
Anchiale. Cretan Nymph, mother of the DACTYLS.
Anchiroe 1. Arcadian Nymph.
Anna Perenna. Nymph of the river Numicius. Sometimes identified with the moon, sometimes with Themis or Io.
Anthedon. Boeotian Nymph, from whom the Boeotian city received its name.
Anthracia. Arcadian Nymph.
Arethusa 3. Nymph of a spring. She was a huntress with whom the river god Alpheus fell in love. Arethusa 3, unwilling to marry, crossed to the island Ortygia, and there turned from a woman to a spring. But when she changed into a spring the river Alpheus mingled with it its own waters.
Argiope 1. Mother of Cercyon 1 according to some. Cercyon 1 was an Arcadian, who compelled passers-by to wrestle, and in wrestling killed them. Theseus, who started his career by killing evil-dooers, lifted him up and dashed him to the ground, and thereafter he ravished his daughter.
Argiope 3. Mother by Philammon, who was famous for his song and zither, of Thamyris 1. This Thamyris 1 was a Thracian who loved Hyacinthus 1. He was the first man to become enamoured of males. He excelled in minstrelsy and engaged in a musical contest with the MUSES. Having lost, they took his eyes and minstrelsy. He is still being punished in Hades for his boast against the MUSES.
Argyra. A Naiad who loved Selemnus while he was still young and handsome; but later in time she would not visit him. Selemnus died of love and was turned into the river Selemnus by Aphrodite, who also made him forget Argyra.
Arne (Melanippe 4). According to some mother of Boeotus, after whom the Boeotians are called, either by Itonus 1 or by Poseidon; Aeolus 3 is said to be her son by this god. Arne was daughter either of Aeolus 1, or of Aeolus 2 and Cyane 2, or of Desmontes. She was blamed by her father for being pregnant and handed over to Metapontus, whom she married without having issue by him.
Astacia. After her Dionysus 2 named a city.
Asterodia 3. Caucasian Nymph. According to some, mother, by King Aeetes, of Apsyrtus, Medea's brother.
Asterope 1 (Hesperia 2). Daughter of the River God Cebren and lover of Aesacus 1, son of King Priam 1 of Troy. She was killed by the bite of a serpent. Some say that when Asterope 1 died he mourned for her and was turned into a bird, but others say that he hurled himself down into the sea and Tethys transformed him into a diving bird.
Atlantia. Hamadryad. One of the wives of Danaus 1.
Batia 2. A Naiad, wife of the Laconian King Oebalus 1.
Byblis (Biblis). Byblis fell in love with her brother and was refused by him, or else it was her brother who conceived a passion for her. In any case and on account of this situation with her brother, she was consumed by her own tears and transformed into a fountain, or else she was turned into an Hamadryad Nymph by the NYMPHS, or else she killed herself.
Byblis was daughter either of Miletus (son of Apollo or of Asterius 5), or of Asterius 5, son of Minos 2. Her mother was either Cyanee, daughter of the river god Meander, or Eidothea 3, daughter of King Eurytus 10 of Caria, or Tragasia.
Caliadne. A Naiad, one of the many wives of Aegyptus 1. Her sons by him were Eurylochus 1, Phantes, Peristhenes, Hermus 1, Dryas 1, Potamon, Cisseus 1, Lixus, Imbrus, Bromius, Polyctor 1, and Chthonius 1.
Calliphaeia. One of the Ionides Nymphs in Elis. They were believed to cure diseases. (These were: Calliphaeia, Synallasis, Pegaea and Iasis.)
Callirrhoe 6. One of the three Naiads who are at the origin of the Tyrian race. They were joined to sons of the soil.
Calybe 1. Mother of Bucolion 2, the first son of King Laomedon 1 of Troy, offspring of a secret love.
Calypso 3. Nymph and goddess.
Carmentis. Daughter of the River God Ladon 1. Carmentis was skilled in the art of divination. She was the first to foretell how great Aeneas' line would become. She was mother by Hermes of Evander 2, the wisest man among the Arcadians. Evander 2 emigrated to Italy and founded a city, Pallantium, on the banks of the river Tiber.
Carthago. A Tyrian Nymph, daughter of Heracles 6, son of Zeus and Asteria 1.
Cassotis. A Nymph of Parnassus from whom a spring at Delphi received its name.
Ceto 3. Ceto 3 is identified as a Naiad, and as her parents are Oceanus & Tethys she is counted as one of the OCEANIDS. Astris, one of the HELIADES 1, is said to be her daughter by Helius.
Chariclo 1. Mother of the famous seer Tiresias.
Chloris 3. Chloris 3 is Flora, the mother of the flowers. She consorted with Zephyrus 1, the West Wind.
Chryse 2. A Nymph whose tutelary snake punished Philoctetes for having profaned the soil of her shrine.
Chrysopelia. According to some wife of Arcas 1. Arcas 1 named the land Arcadia instead of Pelasgia and succeeded Nyctimus on the throne.
Cleocharia. A Naiad, wife of Lelex 2, first king in Laconia who arrived from Egypt.
Cleodora 1. Mother by Poseidon or Cleopompus of Parnassus after whom Mount Parnassus was named.
Clonia. Wife of the very rich man Hyrieus.
Clymene 2. Wife of Parthenopaeus, one of the SEVEN AGAINST THEBES.
Cnossia. Mistress of Menelaus and mother by him of Xenodamus.
Coronis 2. Daughter of Phlegyas 1 (King of the Phlegyans in Boeotia) or of Azan (after whom the district of Azania was called). Mother by Apollo of Asclepius. She had intercourse with Ischys, whom she preferred before Apollo, and for this the god killed her while still pregnant and snatched the babe from the pyre. Others say that Artemis punish her for insulting her brother, it being Hermes who snatched the child from the pyre.
Corycia. After her the Corycian cave was called. Mother of Lycorus (after whom the city Lycoreia was named) by Apollo.
Cranae 2. A Nymph from near an ancient grove of Alernus near the Tiber. She had many suitors and when requested pretended to follow them but always deserted them. Was given by Janus the control of hinges for the maidenhood he took.
Creusa 3. A Naiad, daughter of Gaia. Mother by the River God Peneus of Hypseus 1, King of the LAPITHS and of Stilbe.
Crocale. A Nymph in the train of Artemis.
Cyane 1. A Naiad who opposed Hades when he ravished Persephone. She dissolved away in tears.
Cyllene 1. A Naiad, after whom Mount Cyllene is named. According to some mother of the impious Lycaon 2, but according to others his wife.
Cymodoce 2. Cymodoce 2 was once a ship and was transformed into a Sea-Nymph (so incredible as it sounds).
Cynosura. Cynosura , one of ZEUS' NURSES, was made immortal and put among the CONSTELLATIONS.
Cyrene. Daughter of Hypseus 1 (son of Peneus, one of the RIVER GODS) and Nymph 7. She was reared near Mount Pelion in Thessaly and was extraordinarily beautiful. Apollo found her without spears wrestling alone with a lion and carried her off to that part of Libya where in later times he founded a city and named it, after her, Cyrene.
By Apollo or by Abas 3 (son of Melampus 1, son of Amythaon 1, son of Cretheus 1, son of Aeolus 1) she became mother of Idmon 2, Coeranus 1, and Lysimache 1. Aristaeus is called son of Apollo and Cyrene. By Ares she had Diomedes 1, the King of the Bistonians in Thrace, owner of man-eating mares.
Danais. Mother by Pelops 1 of Chrysippus 2. Laius 1 (Oedipus' father) fell in love with this illegitimate son of Pelops 1 and carried him off. However, Pelops 1 recovered him through war.
Daphnis 2. In the earliest times, the prophetess of Gaia in Delphi.
Daulis. Daughter of the River God Cephisus. After her the city Daulis in Phocis was named.
Deiopea 2. A fair Nymph that Hera promised in marriage to Aeolus 2 if he would lash fury into the winds against the ships of Aeneas. She is found in the train of Cyrene.
Dercetis 2. Dercetis 2 seduced the boy Lapithaon, still unripe for a lover's flames. Their son Alatreus was a defender of Thebes against the SEVEN.
DIONYSUS 2'S NURSES. The names of these are: Acrete, Aegle 3, Ambrosia, Bryusa, Callichore, Calyce 3, Ereutho, Eupetale, Harpe 2, HYADES 1, Ione 2, Lycaste 1, Macris, Methe 1, NYMPHS DODONIDES, NYMPHS LAMUSIDES, Ocynoe, Oinanthe, Prothoe 2, Rhode 3, Silene, Stesichore, Trygie.
Diopatra. A Naiad. With her Poseidon was in love, said Cerambus, who also said that Poseidon transformed Diopatra's sisters into poplars.
Drosera. One of the three Naiads who are at the origin of the Tyrian race. They were joined to sons of the soil.
DRYADS. Nymphs of the Oak.
Dryope 1. Daughter of Eurytus 4, prince of Oechalia, or of Dryops 1, son of Sperchius (one of the RIVER GODS). Originally the most beautiful of the Oechalian girls, but later turned into a Nymph by the NYMPHS, though some say she was turned into a Lotus tree. She had a son Amphissus by Apollo, and she also consorted with Andraemon 4, son of Oxylus 2, the man who helped the HERACLIDES.
Dryope 2. Mother by Faunus 1, King of Latium, of Tarquitus. Faunus 1 is a half-goat god, sometimes identified with Pan or with a Satyr. Tarquitus was an ally of Turnus in the war against Aeneas in Italy. Both Tarquitus and Turnus were killed by Aeneas.
Dryope 4. This Nymph is the snatcher of Hylas. Hylas, a minion of Heracles 1, was ravished away by Nymphs in Mysia on account of his beauty.
Echenais. Echenais bade her lover Daphnis 4 never have to do with mortal women; if he disobeyed, his fate would be to lose his eyes, which in time came to pass.
Echo.
Egeria. Nymph and goddess. She took care of Hippolytus 4, son of Theseus, after he was raised from the dead, until he changed his name and became Virbius. She used to visit Numa 3 (the second king of Rome who is said to have visited Pythagoras) and instruct him in the art of reigning.
Eidothea 2. Mother of Cerambus, who was borne up into the air on wings by the NYMPHS. Cerambus escaped The Flood of Deucalion 1 undrowned. Or perhaps he insulted the NYMPHS and was changed by them into a beetle.
EPIMELIADS. Protectors of sheep.
Erato 1. A Dryad, wife of Arcas 1, according to some.
Ethemea. Ethemea was struck with the arrows of Artemis for having ceased worshipping her and taken alive by Persephone to the Land of the Dead. Ethemea consorted with the ruler of Cos Meropes 3, who was turned into an eagle by Hera, and they had a child Eumelus 5 who was turned into a raven by Hermes.
Euryte 1. Euryte 1 is mother of Halirrhothius, who was killed by Ares while attempting to violate Alcippe 1.
Glauce 5. Nurse of Zeus.
Hagno. Arcadian Nymph, nurse of Zeus.
HAMADRYADS. Tree Nymphs.
Harmonia 2. A Nymph who was loved by Ares in the glens of the Acmonian wood. The AMAZONS are their offspring.
Hecaerge. Daughter of the North Wind Boreas, a Naiad in the train of Artemis.
Hegetoria. Mother by Ochimus of Cyrbia. After her Cyrbe in Rhodes is called, which was destroyed by the Flood. Ochimus is the oldest of the HELIADES 2 and their king.
Helice 1. Nurse of Zeus. Daughter of Olenus 1 after whom the city Olenus in Aulis was named.
Helice 3. Mother by Oenopion 1, King of Chios, of Merope 3 who was outraged by Orion.
HESPERIDES. The HESPERIDES guarded the Golden Apples that Heracles 1 had to fetch. They are said to be the daughters of Nyx, or of Atlas & Hesperis, or of Erebus & Nyx.
Hieromneme. A Naiad, daughter of the River God Simois. Some say she is the mother of Ganymedes.
Himalia. Mother by Zeus of Cronius 2, Spartaeus and Cytus.
Hora 2. Her body was half-human and half-snake. Mother by Zeus of Colaxes, a chieftain in the army of Perses 3 during the civil war in Colchis between Perses 3 and Aeetes. This Colaxes was killed by Jason, Captain of the ARGONAUTS.
HYADES 1.
Hyale 1. Nymph in the train of Artemis.
HYDRIADS. Water nymphs.
Iaera 2.