NYMPH, in mythology, an appellation given to certain inferior goddesses, inhabiting the mountains, woods, waters, &c. said to be the daughters of Oceanus and Tethys. All the universe was represented as full of these nymphs, who are distinguished into several ranks or classes. The general division of them is into celestial and terrestrial; the former of which were called uranie, and were supposed to be intelligences that governed the heavenly bodies or spheres. The terrestrial nymphs, called epigie, presided over the several parts of the inferior world; and were divided into those of the water and those of the earth. The nymphs of the water were the oceanitides, or nymphs of the ocean; the nerids, the nymphs of the sea; the naiads and ephydryades, the nymphs of the fountains; and the limniades, the nymphs of the lakes. The nymphs of the earth were the oreades, or nymphs of the mountains; the napae, nymphs of the meadows; and the dryads and hamadryads, who were nymphs of the forests and groves. Besides these, we meet with nymphs who took their names from particular countries, rivers, &c. as the eitharoniades, so called from mount Cithæron in Bæotia; the dodonades, from Dodona; tiberiades, from the Tiber, &c.—Goats were sometimes sacrificed to the nymphs; but their constant offerings were milk, oil, honey, and wine.
We have the following account of nymphs in Chandler's Greece. “They were supposed to enjoy longevity, but not to be immortal. They were believed to delight in springs and fountains. They are described as sleepless, and as dreaded by the country people. They were susceptible of passion. The Argonauts, it is related, landing on the shore of the Propontis to dine in their way to Colchos, sent Hylas, a boy, for water, who discovered a lonely fountain, in which the nymphs Eunice, Malis, and Nycheia were preparing to dance; and these seeing him were enamoured, and, seizing him by the hand as he was filling his vase, pulled him in. The deities, their copartners in the cave, are such as presided with them over rural and pastoral affairs.
“The old Athenians were ever ready to cry out, A god! or a goddess! The tyrant Pisistratus entered the city in a chariot with a tall woman dressed in armour to resemble Minerva, and regained the Acropolis,
which he had been forced to abandon, by this stratagem; the people worshipping, and believing her to be the deity whom she represented. The nymphs, it was the popular persuasion, occasionally appeared; and nympholepsy is characterized as a frenzy, which arose from having beheld them. Superstition disposed the mind to adopt delusion for reality, and gave to a fancied vision the efficacy of full conviction. The foundation was perhaps no more than an indirect, partial, or obscure view of some harmless giri, which had approached the fountain on a like errand with Hylas, or was retiring after she had filled her earthen pitcher.
“Among the sacred caves on record, one on mount Ida in Crete was the property of Jupiter, and one by Lebæda in Bæotia of Trophonius. Both these were oracular, and the latter bore some resemblance to that we have described. It was formed by art, and the mouth surrounded with a wall. The descent to the landing-place was by a light and narrow ladder, occasionally applied and removed. It was situated on a mountain above a grove; and they related, that a swarm of bees conducted the person by whom it was first discovered. But the common owners of caves were the nymphs, and these were sometimes local. On Cithæron in Bæotia, many of the inhabitants were possessed by nymphs called Sphragitides, whose cave, once also oracular, was on a summit of the mountain. Their dwellings had generally a well or spring of water; the former often a collection of moisture condensed or exuding from the roof and sides; and this, in many instances, being pregnant with stony particles, concreted, and marked its passage by incrustation, the groundwork in all ages and countries of idle tales framed or adopted by superstitious and credulous people.
“A cave in Paphlagonia was sacred to the nymphs who inhabited the mountains about Hæraclæa. It was long and wide, and pervaded by cold water, clear as crystal. There also were seen bowls of stone, and nymphs and their webs and distaffs, and curious work, exciting admiration. The poet who has described this grotto, deserves not to be regarded, as fervently copying Homer; he may justly claim to rank as an original topographer.
“The piety of Archidamus furnished a retreat for the nymphs, where they might find shelter and provision, if distressed; whether the sun parched up their trees, or Jupiter enthroned in clouds upon the mountain-top scared them with his red lightning and terrible thunder, pouring down a deluge of rain, or brightening the summits with his snow.”