Nymphs cavort with satyrs, particularly in depictions of Dionysus, who, with Apollo, is a leader of nymphs. Some nymphs, like Aegina, are eponymous; that is, the name of the nymph is the name of the place she inhabited.
Nymphs are divided into types:
- Acheloids (from the river Achelous)
- Alseids (groves)
- Dryads (forests)
- Hamadryads (trees)
The children of Hamadryas, from Deipnosophists ('Philosopher's Banquet', by Athenaeus, written in the 3rd century A.D.):- Carya (the nut-tree)
- Balanus (the acorn-bearing oak)
- Craneus (the cornel-tree)
- Orea (the ash)
- Aegeirus (the poplar)
- Ptelea (the elm)
- Ampelus (the vine)
- Suke (the fig-tree)
- Hydriads (water)
- Leimoniads (meadows)
- Meliads (ash trees)
- Naiads (springs and rivers)
- Nereid (the Mediterranean)
- Oceanids (the sea)
- Oreads (mountains)
- Napaea (valleys)
Although long-lived many nymphs can die. Nymphs can cause metamorphoses (Greek for changing shape, usually into plants or animals, as in the novel by Kafka and the book of mythology by Ovid). Women can also be changed into nymphs.
Some of the more famous nymphs are
- Amalthea
- Anna Perenna
- Arethusa
- Calypso (Nymph-Goddess who entertained Odysseus)
- Creusa (Daughter of Gaia and the river god Peneus)
- Echo
- Egeria (cared for Athens' founder-hero, Theseus' son Hippolyte; she taught the second king of Rome, Numa Pompilius)
- Harmonia (mated with Ares to produce the Amazons; Harmonia's necklace features in the story of Cadmus of Thebes)
- Syrinx
- Thousa (mother of Polyphemus, the cyclops in the Odyssey who eats several of Odysseus' companions when they were uninvited houseguests)
Greek Mythology
Ancient Atlas
Gods and Goddesses A-Z
Famous Ancient People
