Water Spirit Glossary

Characters:

Alkyone (al-SIE-o-nee): Greek Αλκυονη (Alkyone), derived from the word αλκυων (alkyon) or ‘αλκυων (halkyon) meaning "kingfisher". In Greek myth this name belonged to a daughter of Aeolus and the wife of Ceyx. After her husband was killed in a shipwreck she threw herself into the water, but the gods saved her and turned them both into kingfishers. This is also the name of the brightest of the Pleiades, the seven stars in the constellation Taurus.

Chelone (kee-lo-nay): (Χελωνη, Khelônê) This nymph got turned into a turtle because she refused to attend the wedding of Hera and Zeus. The gods condemned her to eternal silence because of her insulting words.

Clymene (klim'unē): Her name means Famous Might in Greek (Klumenh, Klymenos). She was the Oceanid wife of the Titan Iapetus, and by him bore Atlas, Epimetheus, Prometheus, and Menoetius. In another version, she was the wife of Helios and the mother of Phaeton (who is generally accepted as Apollo's offspring). In yet another version she was the mother of Atalanta. Some other sources say that she was the granddaughter of King Minos of Crete and mother of Palamedes.

Daphne (DAF-nee): Δαφνη (Daphne) means laurel in Greek. A Naiad pursued by Apollo. Apollo wouldn't leave her alone, despite her obvious aversion to him. She ran to her father, a river god, and begged for help. Her father did the only thing he could do and transformed her. Just as Apollo would have caught her Daphne grew bark and transformed into a laurel tree. But the God still wouldn't let her be and plucked some of her branches and made them into a wreath, saying she would be his sacred tree.

Egan, Nikolaos (ē'gun, nik-ol'-ah-os): Egan stems from Gaelic or Celtic meaning ardent or little fire. Usually used as a last name. Greek name Νικολαος (Nikolaos), which means "victory of the people" from Greek νικη (nike) "victory" and λαος (laos) "people".

Types of Nymphs:

Dryades: Nymphs of the Forest, or wood nymphs. Dryades were immortal, unlike other types, like the Hamadryades, who lived in oak trees and would die when the tree they lived in died. They were the hunting companions of Artemis.

Epimeliades: Protectors of Sheep

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. A Hamadryad was a nymph of an oak tree. She was very connected to the tree in which she lived, and very powerful if angered. If her tree was hurt, then the hamadryad was hurt. If her tree was cut down, then the hamadryad also died. It was a hamadryad who began the whole story of the Golden Fleece by punishing the son of a man who'd thrown a knife into her tree.

Heliades: Sisters of Phaeton (son of Apollo). When Phaeton died on a chariot ride, they wept uncontrollably for four months. After that the gods took pity on them and turned the maidens into poplar trees and changed their tears to amber.

Hespirides: Were the nymphs who guarded the Tree of the Golden Apples. Their father was Hesperos, or the God of the Evening Star. Their names were:
         Aegle
         Eritheia
         Hesperia

Hyades: These daughters of Atlas and Pleione were also the sisters of Hyas, who died. They mourned for him so much that the Gods hung them as stars in the Sky.

Lamusidean: The daughters of Lamus. They were the nurses of Dionysus, but because of Hera's deep jealousy they were driven mad. They would have chopped the baby Dionysus up, and not Hermes appeared on the scene just in time to save the baby God

Leimoniads: Nymphs of the meadow

Maliades: Nymphs of fruit trees

Meliae: These Dryades were the Nymphs of Ash Trees. They were the daughters of Gaia and of Uranus' blood.

Naiads: Nymphs associated with water especially fresh water like streams, rivers and lakes. Many Naiades could be found prancing around with Artemis, who chose 20 Naiades from Amnisus for companions. They were the daughters of rivergods. They had extremely long lifetimes, but they were not considered immortal, and were believed to have sat in on the Gods discussions on Olympus. There were 5 types of Naiades:
         Pegaiai: the Nymphs of Springs
         Krinaia: the Nymphs of Fountains
         Potameides: the Nymphs of Rivers and Streams
         Limnades or Limnatides: the Nymphs of Lakes
         Eleionomai: the Nymphs of Marshes

Napaea: Nymphs of the Valley (Dell).

Nereids: Sea-nymphs; they were the 50 daughters of Nereus (the Sea) and Doris.

Oceanids: Were the nymphs of the great ocean, the daughters of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys. There were well over 3,000 of these oceanids. They were sometimes shy, but at other times they were passionate lovers. Most of the time nymphs were kind to mortals, but they sometimes punished people who mistreated them. You could sometimes find oceanids playing around the keels of ships. Nymphs lived for a long time, but they were usually not considered immortal.

Oreads: Nymphs of the Mountains

Pleiades: There were seven Pleiades, and you can find them when you look in the sky (they are stars). Their names were:
         Maia: "Mother" "Nurse"
         Alcyone: "Queen who wards off evil [storms]" or “Kingfisher”
         Electra: "Amber" "Shining" "Bright"
         Celæno: "Swarthy"
         Taygeta: "Long-necked"
         Sterope or Asterope: "Lightening" "Twinkling" "Sun-face"
         Merope: "Eloquent" "Mortal" "Bee-eater"
They were the daughters of Pleione (an Oceanid) and Atlas. Pleione means "sailing queen" and so her daughters would be the "sailing ones", but the root could also be peleiades which means a flock of doves and fits perfectly. They waited on Artemis with their half-sisters the Hyades and with them were called the Atalantides, Dodonides, and Nysiades. They were pursued by Orion for seven years, and got away only when Zeus granted their prayers and changed them into doves.