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Article: Nymphs
- Article from:
- Myths and Legends of the World
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Macmillan Reference, USA. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Nymphs
In Greek mythology, nymphs were minor female
deities
associated with nature. Typically pictured as beautiful girls or young women, they could live for a very long time but were not
immortal.
Most nymphs were the daughters of Zeus* or of other gods. They generally had gentle natures and acted with kindness toward
humans. However, some stories tell of nymphs who lured unsuspecting mortals to their deaths.
Different kinds of nymphs were associated with particular parts of the natural world. The Oceanids were sea nymphs, daughters of the sea god Oceanus. One of the Oceanids married the sea god Nereus, and their daughters became the Nereids, nymphs who dwelled in both freshwater ...