Nereids Sea Nymphs

Ancient Greek Goddesses for Kids - The Nereids Sea Nymphs
Ancient Greek Goddesses and Nymphs - The Nereids Sea Nymphs

Nereids
Discover fascinating information about the beautiful, supernatural sea nymphs referred to as Nereids who were believed by the ancient Greeks to inhabit the oceans and featured in the legends and mythology of Ancient Greece. Nereids were minor goddesses of nature, specifically the sea and oceans. The Nereids were seen as helpful sea nymphs who would help mariners who needed their help and were attendants and members of the retinue of Poseidon. This article provides facts, pictures and information about the benign Nereids sea nymphs. Additional interesting facts and information about the mythology of individual Greek goddesses and nymphs can be accessed via the following links:

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Ancient Greek Gods and Goddesses

Definition of the Nereids Sea Nymphs
Who were the Nereids of Ancient Greek mythology? The meaning and definition of Nereids are as follows: Definition of Nereids: The Nereids were 50 minor goddesses and sea nymphs, the daughters of the sea god Nereus and of Doris, the daughter of Oceanus. The Nereids were attendants of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. They were often represented in art as riding on riding on the back of dolphins or the Hippocamps (the horses of the sea), sometimes in a human form and occasionally depicted with the tail of a fish. These mythical aquatic sisters were the patrons of sailors and fishermen, who came to the aid of men in distress. Like all nymphs the Nereids sea nymphs had the gift of prophecy and divination.

Painting of Nereides by Gaston Bussieres

Painting of Nereids Sea Nymphs by Gaston Bussieres

The Family of the Nereids Sea Nymphs
The Nereids were the nymphs of the sea who had in their care the rich bounty of the sea. The Nereids were the daughters of Nereus, the god of the Mediterranean Sea aka 'the old man of the sea' and his wife Doris. Doris was an Oceanide, a sea nymph and the daughter of the Titan gods Oceanus and Tethys. A sea nymph called Thetis was the unofficial leader of the Nereids and the mother of Achilles, a hero of the Trojan War. Another Nereid called Amphitrite became the the wife of Poseidon.


Picture of Nereids	Picture of Nereus, the Old Man of the Sea

The Story of Andromeda and the Nereids
The Nereids were reputed to be the most beautiful and beguiling of the sea nymphs. However they were vain and could be highly dangerous when annoyed. According to ancient Greek mythology Queen Cassiopeia, proud of her beauty, dared to compare herself to the Nereids which roused their indignation to such a degree that they sent a terrible sea-monster to ravage the coast. To appease the deities, King Cepheus was ordered to chain his daughter to a rock and expose his daughter Andromeda to be devoured by the monster in compensatory sacrifice. Refer to the Legend of Perseus & Medusa

Andromeda chained to the rock by the Nereids

Andromeda chained to the rock by the Nereids

Nereids Family Tree and Genealogy in Greek Mythology
The following Sea Gods family tree illustrates the genealogy of the Nereids as detailed in ancient Greek Mythology and legends. The Nereids were the daughters of Nerius and Doris.

Sea Gods Family Tree and Genealogy

Names of Famous Nereids in Greek Mythology
The names of the most famous Nereids mentioned in Greek Mythology are detailed in the following chart:

Names of Nereids in Greek Mythology
Names of Nereids	Nereids in Greek Mythology and Legends
Actaea	The myth of Actaea: She was the Nereid of the sea shore
Amathia	The myth of the Nereid Amathia: She was renown for being helpful towards sailors fighting perilous storms
Amphitrite	The myth of the Nereid Amphitrite: She was the wife of Poseidon god of the sea.
Amphithoe	The myth of the Nereid Amphithoe: She was the nymph who was addressed as “she who moves swiftly around”
Cydippe	The myth of the Nereid Cydippe: She had a failed love affair with Aristaeus.
Creneis	The myth of the Nereid Creneis: She was a beautiful nymph who played with dolphins
Cymo	The myth of the Nereid Cymo: She was associated with the crabs of the sea
Doris	The myth of the Nereid Doris – a nymph and wife of the sea god Nereus and the mother of the Nereides
Doto	The myth of the Nereid Doto: She was associated with granting safe voyage or generous catch.
Dynamene	The myth of the Nereid Dynamene: With her sister Pherusa, she controlled the great ocean swells
Eione	The myth of the Nereids Eione: She was a nymph of the beach and said to have helped castaways
Eucrante	The myth of the Nereids Eucrante: She was responsible for successful voyages or fishing
Eumolpe	The myth of the Nereids Eumolpe: She was a fine singer and a chief attendant of Neptune
Evagore	The myth of the Nereids Evagore: She was assigned with the duty of assembling other sea nymphs
Galatea	The myth of the Nereids Galatea: She was constantly wooed by the Cyclops Polyphemus but loved Acis - refer to the Myth of Acis and Galatea
Galene	The myth of the Nereids Galene: She was the personification of the calm sea
Glauce	The myth of the Nereids Glauce: She was the sea nymph of the ‘blue-grey’ waters who nursed the infant Zeus
Ianassa	The myth of the Nereids Ianassa: She was a powerful protector of sailors
Iphianassa	The myth of the Nereids Iphianassa: She gave birth to a son Aetolus, who slew Apis
Laomedeia	The myth of the Nereid Laomedeia: She was the sea nymph after whom one of the moons of Jupiter was named
Leiagore	The myth of the Nereid Leiagore: She was famous as the nymph who spoke to mortals
Maera	The myth of the Nereids Maera: She was associated with the dog-star Seirios to bring midsummer heat
Nausithoe	The myth of the Nereids Nesaea: She caused ships to sail swiftly
Panopaea	The myth of the Nereid Panopaea: She was the nymph of the sea’s broad panorama, linked to the sighting of land
Panopaea	The myth of the Nereid Panopaea: She was the nymph of the sea’s broad panorama, linked to the sighting of land
Pasithea	The myth of the Nereid Pasithea: She was the nymph of good cheer
Pontomedusa	The myth of the Nereid Pontomedusa: She was also known as the sea queen
Psamathe	The myth of the Nereid Psamathe: She was a nymph and goddess of sand beaches and the wife of Proteus
Sao	The myth of the Nereid Sao: She was the sea nymph of safe passage of sailors
Thaleia	The myth of the Nereid Thaleia: She was a sand nymph who gave birth to the twin gods of Sicilian geysers
Themisto	The myth of the Nereid Themisto: She died when she killed her twin sons by accident
Thetis	The myth of the Nereid Thetis: She was given in marriage to a mortal called Peleus. Eris, the goddess of Discord attended the wedding and sparked the Myth of the Apple of Discord
Thoosa	The myth of the Nereid Thoosa: She was the lover of Poseidon and became mother of the Cyclops Polyphemus
Names of Nereids	Nereids in Greek Mythology and Legends
Names of Nereids in Greek Mythology

Merman and a Nereid

Merman and a Nereid

Sea Nymphs

Sea Nymphs - the Nereids
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Facts and information about the ancient Greek Nereids for schools and kids