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| Nymphs in Greek Mythology |
Nymphs were an important part of Greek mythology and religion. They were revered as the spirits of specific natural features - mountains, rivers, trees, and even groves were usually associated with a type of nymph. The name "nymph" comes from the Greek word that means "young woman", and so naturally these beings were considered to be female. Indeed, they were represented as lovely and eternally youthful creatures. And while there is some question about whether they were immortal or not - Hamadryads in particular were linked with the lives of their chosen trees - it is believed that they were extremely long lived. The following list, while not exhaustive, is an introduction to some categories of nymphs:
Dryads |
wood-nymphs
Hamadryads |
related to the Dryads, these nymphs were so closely part of the trees they inhabited that it was said that they died along with their trees
Leimoniads |
nymphs of the meadow
Meliae |
these were nymphs of a particular kind of tree - the ash tree
Naiads |
nymphs associated with water
Nereids |
sea-nymphs; they were the daughters of Nereus and Doris
Oceanids |
the Titans Okeanos and Tethys were the parents of "three thousand slender-ankled daughters"
Oreads |
nymphs of mountains
More about Nymphs - Famous Names
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Who's Who in Classical Mythology
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