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Origins
The Nymph is a creature with origins in Greek mythology, legend and folklore. They are the daughters of deities that vary in rank and domain, and thus they have connections to various different aspects of nature.
The ranks of the Nymphs are as follows:
- Aura (pl: Aurae, Aurai)- Nymphs of the cooling breezes (especially morning breezes)
- Asteria (pl: Asteriae, Asteriai)- Nymphs of the stars (and often constellations)
- Pleas (Plead, Pleias, Pleiad; pl: Pleads, Pleades, Pleiades)- Nymphs of the seven stars of the constellation of the same name
- Hyas (Hyad; pl: Hyades)- Nymphs of the five stars of the constellation of the same name
- Dryas (Dryad; pl: Dryads, Dryades)- Nymphs of trees and forests
- Alseis (Alseid; pl: Alseids, Alseides)- Nymphs of the glens, glades and groves (especially the sacred groves)
- Aulonias (Auloniad; pl: Auloniads, Auloniades)- Nymphs of the mountain pastures and valleys (especially vales and ravines)
- Epimelis (Epimelid, Epimelias, Epimeliad, Hamameliad, Hamamelis, Hamamelid, Melis, Melid, Melias, Meliad, Malias, Maliad, Bucola, Boucola, Boukola, Boukole: pl: Epimelids, Epimelides, Epimeliades, Hamameliads, Hamameliades, Hamamelids, Hamamelides, Melids, Melides, Meliades, Maliades, Bucolai, Bucolae, Boucolae, Boucolai, Boukolai)- Nymphs of mountain meadow pastures and fruit-trees, the protectors of sheep flocks and goat herds
- Anthousa- Some of the Anthousai were numbered among the Epimelides
- Hamadryas (Hamadryad, Hadryas, Hadryad; pl: Hamadryads, Hamadryades, Hadryades)- Nymphs of oak and poplar trees (especially river-side trees and sacred groves)
- Melia (Melissa; pl: Meliae, Meliai, Melissae, Melissai)- Nymphs of honey, bees (especially honey bees), honeydew (manna) and ash trees
- Napaea (Napaia, Napæa; pl: Napaeae, Napaiae, Napaiai, Napææ)- Nymphs of valleys (especially vales, glens, glades and dells) and grottoes
- Oreas- Some of the Oreads were numbered among the Dryades.
- Halia (Halias, Haliad; pl: Haliae, Haliai, Haliads, Haliades)- Marine nymphs in general (nymphs of both freshwater and saltwater bodies)
- Nereis- Nereids were numbered among the Haliae
- Oceanis- Oceanids were numbered among the Haliae
- Lampas (Lampad; pl: Lampades)- Torch-bearing nymphs of the Underworld, in the train of the magic, witchcraft and Underworld goddess Hekate
- Mainas (Maenas, Maenad, Bacche, Bacchis, Bacchas, Bakkhe, Bakkhis, Bacchant ; pl: Mainades, Maenads, Maenades, Bacchai, Bakkhai, Bacchantes, Bakkhantes)- Wild, orgiastic nymphs in the train of the wine and festivity god Dionysos.
- Dryas- Some of the Dryades were numbered among the Maenades
- Lena (Lene; pl: Lenae, Lenai)- Nymphs of the wine-press
- Mimallon (Mimallonis; pl: Mimallones)- Nymphs of Bacchic orgy and frenzy music
- Naias- Some of the Naiades were numbered among the Maenades
- Thyia (Thyias, Thya, Thyas; pl: Thyiae, Thyiai, Thyiads, Thyiades, Thyades)- Nymphs of the processional thyrsus (thyrsus-bearers)
- Naias (Naiad, Hydrias, Hydriad, Ephydrias, Ephydriad; pl: Naiads, Naiades, Hydriads, Hydriades, Ephydriads, Ephydriades)- Nymphs of the sources of fresh-water
- Anthousa- Some of the Anthousai are numbered among the Naiades
- Crenaea (Crenaia, Krenaia, Crenias, Creniad, Crinaea, Crinaia; pl: Crenaeae, Crenaeai, Krenaiai, Creniads, Creniades, Kreniades, Crinaeae, Crinaeai, Crinaiai, Krinaiai)- Nymphs of the fountains
- Heleionoma (Eleionoma, Eleonoma; pl: Heleionomae, Heleionomai, Eleionomae, Eleionomai, Eleonomae, Eleonomai)- Nymphs of marshes and other wetlands
- Limnas (Limnias, Limniad, Limnetis, Limnatis; pl: Limniads, Limniades, Limnades, Limnetides, Limnatides)- Nymphs of the lakes and ponds
- Pegaea (Pegaia, Pegæa; pl: Pegaeae, Pegaiae, Pegaeai, Pegaiai, Pegæae, Pegæai, Pegææ)- Nymphs of the springs (especially freshwater springs)
- Potamis (Potamid, Potameis, Potameid; pl: Potamids, Potamides, Potameids, Potameides)- Nymphs of the rivers (especially freshwater rivers)
- Nereis (Nereid; pl: Nereids, Nereides)- Nymphs of the various aspects of the sea
- Oceanis (Oceanid, Okeanis; pl: Oceanids, Oceanides, Okeanides)- Nymphs of Earth's sources of freshwater (including aerial, terrestrial and subterranean sources)
- Anthousa (Anthouse, Anthoussa, Anthusa, Anthuse; pl: Anthousae, Anthousai, Anthoussae, Anthoussai, Anthusae, Anthusai)- Nymphs of flowers
- Aura- Some of the Aurae were numbered among the Oceanides
- Epimelides- Some of the Epimelides were numbered among the Oceanides
- Leimonis (Leimonid, Leimenis, Leimonias, Leimoniad, Limonias, Limoniad; pl: Leimonids, Leimonides, Leimenids, Leimenides, Leimoniads, Leimoniades, Limoniads, Limoniades)- Nymphs of the meadows (especially water-meadows) and pastures thick with lush grass and flowers
- Anthousa- Some of the Anthousai were numbered among the Oceanides (and some of those were specifically numbered among the Leimonides)
- Nephele- Some of the Nephelai were numbered among the Oceanides
- Oreas (Oread, Oreias, Oreiad, Orestias, Orestiad, Orodemnias, Orodemniad; pl: Oreads, Oreades, Oreiades, Orestiades, Orodemniades)- Nymphs of the mountains and grottoes
- Asteria- Some of the Asteriai were numbered among the Oreades
- Epimelis- Some of the Epimelides were numbered among the Oreades
- Melia- Some of the Meliai were numbered among the Oreades