Naiads – Mythopedia The Naiads were water nymphs, generally associated with bodies of fresh water such as springs, rivers, and lakes Many of them were the daughters, lovers, or mothers of famous heroes and gods
Nymphs – Mythopedia The nymphs were minor divinities who took the form of beautiful young women They represented diverse aspects of nature, including water, mountains, trees, and even specific locales They were also frequently divided into subgroups (such as Dryads, Naiads, and Nereids) according to the type of environment they inhabited
Penelope – Mythopedia Penelope was the wife of the hero Odysseus, ruler of the small island of Ithaca She remained faithful to her husband for twenty years while awaiting his return from the Trojan War, holding off many suitors with her cunning
Scylla – Mythopedia Scylla was a multi-headed, hybrid monster who haunted a narrow strait opposite the whirlpool Charybdis With her darting heads and sharp teeth, Scylla would pick off unwary sea creatures or sailors who passed too close
Centaurs – Mythopedia Centaurs were hybrid creatures, human from the waist up but with the body and legs of a horse They lived an untamed and brutal existence in the forests and mountains of Greece, where they battled many famous Greek heroes
Daphne – Mythopedia Daphne was a virginal nymph, the daughter of a Greek river god In her most famous myth, she was desired by the Olympian god Apollo and was only able to escape his advances by transforming into a laurel tree
Styx – Mythopedia Styx was the eldest of the Oceanids, daughters of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys, and the goddess who gave her name to one of the rivers of the Underworld She married the Titan Pallas and had several children with him
Dryads and Hamadryads – Mythopedia Dryads and Hamadryads were the most famous tree nymphs of ancient Greek mythology Hamadryads in particular were closely connected with the trees in which they lived, and even died when their tree died
Oreads – Mythopedia Naiad by Antonio Canova (1815 1817–1820 1823) National Gallery of Art (US) Public Domain The Oreads represented one of the main categories of nymphs, alongside the Naiads (water nymphs associated with springs) [9] However, “Oread” was a very loose classification within the Greek taxonomy of nymphs
Amphitrite – Mythopedia Amphitrite was an enchanting nymph from the depths of the sea An important goddess in her own right, she became the wife and queen of Poseidon, one of the greatest gods of the Greek pantheon