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 Oceanids in Myth

In Greek mythology, the Oceanids were beautiful sea-nymphs. According to the Greek poet Hesiod, these nymphs were the daughters of the Titans Okeanos and Tethys (in case you are wondering, the word Oceanid is derived from the name Okeanos - which is also spelled Oceanus). Indeed, Hesiod claims that there were three thousand of these sea-nymphs who inhabited the waters.

Hesiod lists the names of many of the Oceanids in his Theogony, which is a poem that describes the birth of the Greek gods and goddesses. As the names of these sea-nymphs are quite splendid, it is worth quoting from the appropriate passage in the Theogony:

"They are Peitho, Admete, Ianthe, and Electra,
Doris, Prymno, and godlike Ourania,
Hippo, Klymene, Rhodeia, and Kallirhoe,
Zeuxo, Klytia, Idyia, and Peisithoe,
Plexaura, Galaxaura, and lovely Dione,
Melobosis, Thoe, and beautiful Polydora,
shapely Kerkeis and cow-eyed Plouto,
Perseis, Ianeira, Akaste, and Xanthe,
lovely Petraia, Menestho, and Europe,
Metis, Eurynome, and saffron-robed Telesto,
Chryseis, Asia, and enchanting Kalypso,
Eudora, Tyche, Amphiro, and Okyrhoe,
and Styx, who holds the highest rank.
These are the eldest daughters born to Tethys
and Okeanos."

Several of the Oceanids played significant roles in mythology. Indeed, you may have noticed that some of these familiar mythological names - such as Doris, Metis, Calypso (Kalypso), Styx, Perseis, and Tyche - appear in the passage quoted above from Hesiod's Theogony.



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