in Mythology, an appellation given to certain inferior goddesses, inhabiting the mountains, wood, 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 them were called uraniae, and were supposed to be intelligences that governed the heavenly bodies or spheres. The terrestrial nymphs, called epigaea, 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 oceanides, or nymphs of the ocean; the nereids, the nymphs of the sea; the naïads and ephydriades, the nymphs of the fountains; and the limnades, the nymphs of the lakes. The nymphs of the earth were the oreades, or nymphs of the mountains; the mephitae, 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 citharomaidae, so called from Mount Citharon in Bocotia; the dodonidae, from Dodona; tiberidae, 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..." 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 characterised 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 girl, who 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 Lebadea in Boeotia 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 Citheron in Boeotia, 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 Heraclea. 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 servilely copying Homer; he may justly lay 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."
Nymph, among naturalists, that state of winged insects between their living in the form of a worm and their appearing in the winged or more perfect state.
The eggs of insects are first hatched into a kind of worms or maggots: which afterwards pass into the nymph state, surrounded with shells or cases of their own skins; so that, in reality, these nymphs are only the embryo insects, wrapt up in this covering; from whence they at last get loose, though not without great difficulty.
During this nymph state the creature loses its motion. Swammerdam calls it nympha aurelia, or simply aurelia; and others give it the name of chrysalis, a term of the like import. See the article CHRYSALIS.
Nymph-Band, situated about 10 leagues off the coast of the county of Waterford, and province of Munster in Ireland, is a great fishing place, and 11 leagues S. S. E. from the high head of Durgarvan. It abounds with cod, ling, skate, bream, whiting, and other fish; which was discovered by Mr Doyle, who on July 15, 1736 sailed to it, in company with seven men, on board the Nymph, a small vessel of about 12 tons. This place is well adapted for a fishing company, the great public advantages of which must be very evident.
NYMPHÆ, in Anatomy, two membranaceous parts, situated on each side the rima. See ANATOMY Index.
NYMPHÆA, the WATER-LILY; a genus of plants belonging to the polyandra class, and in the natural method ranking under the 54th order, Miscellanea. See BOTANY Index.
NYMPHÆA (amongst the ancients), doubtful what structures they were; some take them to have been grottoes, deriving their name from the statues of the nymphs with which they were adorned; but that they were considerable works appears from their being executed by the emperors, (Ammian, Victor, Capitolinus) or by the city prefects. In an inscription, the term is written nymphium. None of all these nymphæa has lasted down to our time. Some years since, indeed, a square building of marble was discovered between Naples and Vesuvius, with only one entrance, and some steps that went down to it. On the right hand as you enter, towards the head, there is a fountain of the purest water; along which, by way of guard, as it were, is laid a naked Arethusa of the whitest marble; the bottom or ground is of variegated marble, and encompassed with a canal fed by the water from the fountain; the walls are set round with shells and pebbles of various colours; by the setting of which, as by so many strokes in a picture, are expressed the 12 months of the year, and the four political virtues; also the rape of Proserpine; Pan playing on his reed, and soothing his flock; besides the representations of nymphs swimming, sailing, and wantoning on fishes, &c.
It seems pretty evident that the nymphæa were public baths; for at the same time that they were furnished with pleasing grottoes, they were also supplied with cooling streams, by which they were rendered exceedingly delightful, and drew great numbers of people to frequent them. Silence seems to have been a particular requisite there, as appears by this inscription, Nymphis loci, bibē, lava, tace. That building between Naples and Vesuvius, mentioned above, was certainly one of these nymphæa.
NYMPHÆUM, (Plutarch); the name of a sacred place, near Apollonia in Illyricum, sending forth continually fire in detached streams from a green valley and verdant meadows. Dio Cassius adds, that the fire neither burns up nor parches the earth, but that herbs and trees grow and thrive near it, and therefore the place is called nymphæum: near which was an oracle of such a nature, that the fire, to show that the wish was granted Nymphidius, consumed the frankincense thrown into it; but repelled it, in case the desire was rejected. It was there that a sleeping satyr was once caught and brought to Sylla as he returned from the Mithridatic war. This monster had the same features as the poets ascribe to the satyr. He was interrogated by Sylla and by his interpreters; but his articulations were unintelligible; and the Roman spurned from him a creature which seemed to partake of the nature of a beast more than that of a man.
Nymphaeum, in antiquity, a public hall magnificently decorated, for entertainments, &c., and where those who wanted convenience at home held their marriage feasts; whence the name.
Nymphidius, Sabinus, a person of mean descent, but appointed by Nero colleague of Tigellinus in the command of the praetorian guards. About the time, however, that the German legions revolted from this despicable prince, he was also betrayed by Nymphidius and abandoned by his guards.
Nymphidius began now to entertain thoughts of seizing the sovereignty himself. However, he did not immediately declare his ambitious views; but pretending to espouse the cause of Galba, assured the guards that Nero was fled, and promised them such sums as neither Galba nor any other was able to discharge. This promise secured for the present the empire to Galba, occasioned afterwards the loss of it, and finally, produced the destruction of Nymphidius and the guards themselves. After Nero's death, however, and on the acknowledgement of Galba as emperor, he renewed his ambition; and having, by his immense largesses, gained the affections of the praetorian guards, and persuading himself that Galba, by reason of his infirmities and old age, would never reach the capital, usurped all the authority at Rome. Presuming upon his interest, he obliged Tigellinus, who commanded, jointly with him, the praetorian guards, to resign his commission. He made several magnificent and extensive entertainments, inviting such as had been consuls or had commanded armies, distributed large sums among the people, and with shows and other diversions, which he daily exhibited, gained so great an interest with all ranks, that he already looked upon himself as sovereign. The senate, dreading his power, conferred extraordinary honours upon him, styled him their protector; attended him when he appeared in public, and had recourse to him for the confirmation of their degrees, as if he had been already invested with the sovereign power. This base complacency elated him to such a degree, that he usurped, not leisurely and by degrees, but all at once, an absolute authority. He acted as sovereign indeed, but he had not yet openly declared his design of seizing the empire; his power, however, was great, and he used it in undermining Galba's power; he was, however, unsuccessful, and the disclosure of his designs was much against him. Galba was again acknowledged and proclaimed, and he, notwithstanding his artifices, detected and slain by the soldiers who were proclaiming Galba. See Nero.