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
Oreads – Mythopedia The Oreads were beautiful, youthful mountain nymphs These female divinities roamed the mountains and woodlands of Greece, accompanying other nature gods and presiding over various aspects of the natural world
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
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
Calypso – Mythopedia Calypso, daughter of the Titan Atlas, was a Greek nymph and goddess She lived on the island of Ogygia, where the hero Odysseus was shipwrecked on his way back from the Trojan War Calypso rescued Odysseus and kept him on the island as her lover until finally commanded to let him go
Echo – Mythopedia Echo was a Boeotian nymph who used her endless chatter to hide Zeus’ affairs from his jealous wife Hera As punishment, she was cursed to only repeat the last words spoken to her Because of this, the vain Narcissus spurned her love, and she faded into a disembodied voice—an “echo ”
Callisto – Mythopedia Callisto was a princess or nymph from Arcadia and a companion of the goddess Artemis After being seduced by Zeus, she bore him a son named Arcas; but she was soon transformed into a bear by either Artemis, Hera, or Zeus In her new form, Callisto was either shot down by Artemis or made into a constellation
Arethusa – Mythopedia Arethusa was a nymph, sometimes numbered among the daughters of the sea god Nereus Her myth describes how she fled to Syracuse to escape the undesired advances of the river god Alpheus, finally transforming into a freshwater spring
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
Thetis – Mythopedia Thetis was a nymph and goddess of the sea, one of the fifty Nereids born to Nereus and Doris, and the wife of the mortal hero Peleus When her son Achilles went to fight in the Trojan War, she did everything in her power to prevent his death