Nymph www.wikipedia.

com
A fourth-century Roman depiction of Hylas and the Nymphs, from the basilica of Junius Bassus A nymph (Greek: , nymph) in Greek mythology is a minor female nature deity typically associated with a particular location or landform. There are 5 different types of nymphs, Celestial Nymphs, Sea Nymphs, Land Nymphs, Wood Nymphs and Underworld Nymphs. Different from goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as divine spirits who animate nature, and are usually depicted as beautiful, young nubile maidens who love to dance and sing; their amorous freedom sets them apart from the restricted and chaste wives and daughters of the Greek polis. They are believed to dwell in mountains and groves, by springs and rivers, and also in trees and in valleys and cool grottoes. Although they would never die of old age nor illness, and could give birth to fully immortal children if mated to a god, they themselves were not necessarily immortal, and could be beholden to death in various forms. Charybdis and Scylla were once nymphs. Other nymphs, always in the shape of young maidens, were part of the retinue of a god, such as Dionysus, Hermes, or Pan, or a goddess, generally the huntress Artemis.[1] Nymphs were the frequent target of satyrs. They are frequently associated with the superior divinities: the huntress Artemis; the prophetic Apollo; the reveller and god of wine, Dionysus; and rustic gods such as Pan and Hermes.

Etymology
Nymphs are personifications of the creative and fostering activities of nature, most often identified with the lifegiving outflow of springs: as Walter Burkert (Burkert 1985:III.3.3) remarks, "The idea that rivers are gods and springs divine nymphs is deeply rooted not only in poetry but in belief and ritual; the worship of these deities is limited only by the fact that they are inseparably identified with a specific locality." The Greek word has "bride" and "veiled" among its meanings: hence a marriageable young woman. Other readers refer the word (and also Latin nubere and German Knospe) to a root expressing the idea of "swelling" (according to Hesychius, one of the meanings of is "rose-bud").

Adaptations
The Greek nymphs were spirits invariably bound to places, not unlike the Latin genius loci, and the difficulty of transferring their cult may be seen in the complicated myth that brought Arethusa to Sicily. In the works of the Greek-educated Latin poets, the nymphs gradually absorbed into their ranks the indigenous Italian divinities of springs and streams (Juturna, Egeria, Carmentis, Fontus), while the Lymphae (originally Lumpae), Italian water-goddesses, owing to the accidental similarity of their names, could be identified with the Greek Nymphae. The mythologies of classicizing Roman poets were unlikely to have affected the rites and cult of individual nymphs venerated by country people in the springs and clefts of Latium. Among the Roman literate class, their sphere of influence was restricted, and they appear almost exclusively as divinities of the watery element.

In modern Greek folklore

The ancient Greek belief in nymphs survived in many parts of the country into the early years of the twentieth century, when they were usually known as "nereids". At that time, John Cuthbert Lawson wrote: "...there is probably no nook or hamlet in all Greece where the womenfolk at least do not scrupulously take precautions against the thefts and malice of the nereids, while many a man may still be found to recount in all good faith stories of their beauty, passion and caprice. Nor is it a matter of faith only; more than once I have been in villages where certain Nereids were known by sight to several persons (so at least they averred); and there was a wonderful agreement among the witnesses in the description of their appearance and dress."[2] Nymphs tended to frequent areas distant from humans but could be encountered by lone travelers outside the village, where their music might be heard, and the traveler could spy on their dancing or bathing in a stream or pool, either during the noon heat or in the middle of the night. They might appear in a whirlwind. Such encounters could be dangerous, bringing dumbness, besotted infatuation, madness or stroke to the unfortunate human. When parents believed their child to be nereid-struck, they would pray to Saint Artemidos.[3][4]

Modern sexual connotations

Due to the depiction of some mythological nymphs as females who mate with men or women at their own volition, and are completely outside male control, the term is often used as a stereotype in present life for women who are perceived as behaving similarly. The term nymphomania was created by modern psychology as referring to a "desire to engage in human sexual behavior at a level high enough to be considered clinically significant", Due to wrongly widespread use of the term among lay persons (often shortened to nympho) and stereotypes attached, professionals nowadays would much rather prefer the term hypersexuality, since not all nymphs were of sexual nature. The nymphs that accompanied the Goddess Artemis were virgins and never engaged in sexual activity since that would take away from the force needed by the Goddess Artemis to fight in battle.

Classification
As H.J. Rose states, all the names for various classes of nymphs are plural feminine adjectives agreeing with the substantive nymphai, and there was no single classification that could be seen as canonical and exhaustive. Thus the classes of nymphs tend to overlap, which complicates the task of precise classification. Rose mentions dryads and hamadryads as nymphs of trees generally, meliai as nymphs of ash trees, and naiads as nymphs of water, but no others specifically.[6]

www.timelessmyths.com
The nymphs () were minor female deities or spirits, who inhabited the mountains, woods, waters and seas. Like the gods, some were literally forces of nature. They were indistinguishable from the element of nature.Nymphs were sometimes worshipped alongside with the gods or heroes in their temples or sanctuaries, though these cults of the nymphs were usually found in caves. Nymphs were often attendants to goddesses, like Artemis, or to other nymphs, like Calypso who has attendants on her island. Artemis was often seen as the mistress or goddess of the nymphs, since many of them were hunting companions of the goddess. Some nymphs attended Apollo or Hermes looking after flocks of sheep, as shepherdesses.The poets and writers often described the nymphs of great beauty. Because of their beauty, they often received unwanted attentions from gods and mortals. They often tried to preserve their virginity, like the goddess they followed, but often they are powerless to resist mighty gods. Often to escape from the unwanted advances, even from the powerful gods, they were transformed into springs, trees, or flowers. Most nymphs have at least one divine parent, while only a few nymphs have mortal father and mother. Even more important is that many of the nymphs have become mothers of heroes and gods.The term "nymph" had

later meant young beautiful woman, or seductress. Even worse was the term "nymphomania", which was used to describe uncontrollable or excessive sexual desire in women; a woman who was insatiable.

The Nereds (Nereids), or , were sea nymphs, and were named after their father, Nereus. Their mother was the sea goddess Doris, who was an Oceanid. The Roman mythographer, Hyginus gives us some different names.Only three of the Nereds became goddesses of the sea: Thetis, Psamathe and Galatea. Some says
that Amphitrite, wife of Poseidon, may have been a Nered, instead of an Oceanid.The Nereids were not necessary peaceful and passive beings. Like the Olympian goddesses, they can be vengeful when angered. As it can be seen, when Cassiopeia had boasted that the beauty of her daughter Andromeda surpassed the Nereids. The Nereids demanded retribution, such as the sacrifice of her daughter Andromeda to the sea monster.Thetis herself, had shown what her support and action can do, to determine the victory and defeat of the gods.

The Oceanids were daughters of Oceanus and Tethys. There were three thousand daughters of the Titans. Oceanus also has equal number of sons, who were all river gods.Though being an Oceanid, doesn't necessary mean that she was water deity. The Oceanids, unlike the Nereds, had no special functions or roles. Some are both nymph and goddess. Only some of Oceanus' daughters have attributes of the water goddess, such as the sea or river.The eldest daughter being Styx, and she was the only female river deity, in a world full of river gods. Others such as Doris and Amphitrite were clearly represented as goddesses of the sea. But figures, such as Metis, who was the goddess of wisdom, seemed to have no connection with water.In the Theogony, Hesiod described them as the holy company, who with their brothers (river-gods) and Apollo, kept watch over the youths. Since there were 3000 daughters of Oceanus, they were dispersed far and wide, living in all part of the world; in the sea or on land.Only a few other well-known Oceanids were goddesses in their own right. There was the Oceanids Doris and Amphitrite (possibly a Nereid), both being goddesses of the sea; and Metis was the goddess of intelligence and cunning.The rest were more like nymphs than actual goddesses, such as Pleone, mother of the Pleiades; and Clymene or Asia, mother of Prometheus.Some of the Oceanids were seduced by the gods or married to mortals, bearing sons who were heroes or princes.Here, are the list of names found in Hesiod' Theogony:

There are only 41 names listed here, and Hesiod say there are more. I wouldn't think of trying to name 3000 Oceanids. I would also include Pleone and Cyllene to this list, as well as Philyra, mother of the Centaur Cheiron. The Roman mythographer, Hyginus gives us some different names.

Please noted that some of the more important Oceanids have already listed elsewhere.

The Pleiades () were the seven daughters of Atlas and the Oceanid Pleone (Pleione). Though, Hyginus says in the Fabulae that Atlas and Pleone originally had twelve daughters and a son named Hyas, and five of their daughters had died grieving for their brother, killed by either a lion or wild boar (see Hyades).

They don't seem to have any special roles as nymphs, except who they mated with and who their children were. Each one of the Pleiades was wooed by god, giant or mortal. The giant hunter, Orion tried to capture and ravish them all. See Orion and the Pleiades, and Orion in Mythical Creatures, about their connection with the hunter.

One of the favourite pastimes of many nymphs was hunting. These nymphs often became hunting companions of the goddess Artemis. Artemis was the goddess of hunting and the chase. She was a powerful goddess of the forest and Lady of Wild Beasts. Because the number of nymphs who followed Artemis, she was sometimes referred to as the goddess of the nymphs, since she was their leader in the hunt. Many nymphs tried to emulate their goddess, not only through hunting, but they tried to remain as virgins. This was frequently not possible, because powerful gods (eg. Zeus, Poseidon, Apollo, etc) and mortal men (eg. Minos) often tried to seduce or ravish them. They were sought after, because of their beauties. However, few do manage to escape from amorous gods or heroes, thereby preserving their chastity.

Dianna and the Nymphs Giambattista Pittoni Oil on canvas, 1725 Museo Civico - Pinacoteca di Palazzo Chiericati

Legends
Daphne

Daphne was nymph and follower of the huntress-goddess Artemis (Diana). Depending on the two versions of myth, Daphne was either the daughter of the river-god in Thessaly, Peneius or Peneus, or she was daughter of the river-god in Elis, named Ladon. She was loved by the god Apollo.

There are two versions to the myth of Daphne. One version told by Pausanias was different than the one told by Roman authors, Ovid and Hyginus.
According to Pausanias, Leucippus was the son of King Oenomaus of Elis, where the young prince fell in love with the huntress, who often hunt with her companions on the Ladon River. But Daphne was not interested in any men. So Leucippus resorted to trickery to be close to Daphne. Since Leucippus had long hair, he disguised himself as another young huntress, by wearing a girl dress, and called himself as Oeno. Oeno was actually the name of his sister. Oeno (Leucippus) and Daphne became great friends and companions in the frequent hunts. LeucippusOeno was an excellent hunter. But one day, Daphne and all her companions decided to take a bath. It was said that Apollo was also in love with Daphne, so the jealous god had caused Daphne and her other companions to have a strong desire to bathe in the river. Leucippus was reluctant to strip in front of them, which would expose his disguise, so Daphne and her companions playfully stripped him of his clothes. Upon their discovery that Leucippus was impersonating a girl, they angrily seized their spears and killed Leucippus. The second version is best told by the Roman poet, Ovid, in his Metamorphoses. Hyginus' Fabulae lacked detail and it is rather short. Ovid's version is the best-remembered myth. Here, the myth is set in Thessaly. Apollo ridicule Cupid (Eros) that archery should be best left to him. Indignant at Apollo's words, Cupid used one of his arrows on the sun-god, and made Apollo to fall in love with Artemis' hunting companion, Daphne. Daphne was known throughout Thessaly for her beauty, but she had already turned away many suitors. Her father Peneius had reluctantly given her his boon that she doesn't have to marry anyone. Daphne had either wanted to remain a virgin, because she was a follower of Artemis, or Cupid used his leadtipped arrow, to make reject any men's proposals. Either way, Apollo pursued Daphne, who tried to flee from him. Ovid says that Daphne was the first maiden that Apollo had fallen in love with. His sweet words and pleads were ignored. She knew that if Apollo couldn't win her hand in marriage, the god would then take it by force. As swift a runner Daphne was, she realised that she could not hope to avoid capture, because Apollo no mortal was swifter than him and she knew that she would be tired soon. So Daphne prayed to her father, imploring to save her modesty from her pursuer. Peneius heard her cry for help, transformed his daughter into a laurel or bay tree. Apollo arrived too late, and was sorrowful that she could not be his bride. Apollo however decided that the laurel trees would be sacred to him. The wreath of laurel leaves would be worn on the head as a crown to the victors of Pythian Games and the crown of the Roman emperors.

Syrinx
Syrinx was the nymph and huntress from Arcadia. Like other nymphs who enjoyed hunting, Syrinx

was a companion of Diana (Artemis); and like her goddess, she wished to remain a virgin. Her wish could not be kept, especially when the shepherd-god Pan lusted after her. Syrinx fled from Pan, hoping to escape. When she reached the Ladon River that flow through Arcadia, she couldn't cross and was trapped. Syrinx prayed to the river-god to save her from Pan. Ladon answered her prayer, by transforming her into marsh reeds. Pan arrived only to find that Syrinx had escaped. Pan created a wind-instrument - reed-pipes, called syrinx, by breaking halfdozen reeds in various lengths and bounded the reeds together, by using wax. Pan had used this syrinx to challenge Apollo in a music contest. Two judges awarded Apollo, except Midas, who thought Pan's instrument sounded better. Apollo punished Midas, but I guess you should read about to Midas in order to find out about his punishment in Wrath of Heaven.

Hesperides
The Hesperides were nymphs who cared for and guarded the grove of trees that grow golden apples in the garden of Hesperides. The name means "Daughter of the Evening Star". There is some confusion over the numbers of nymphs. Some say there were three or four, but most say there were seven. Their names were given as - Aegle (Aigle), Arethusa (Arethousa), Erytheia, Hespere (Hespera), Hespereia, Hesperusa and Hestia. In the Library, Apollodorus had named only four nymphs Aigle, Erytheia, Hesperia and Arethusa. There was also some confusion over their parentage. Their parents were said to be of Erebus and Nyx, or of Phorcys and Ceto, or of Zeus and Themis. The most likely and popular version, says that Atlas and Hesperis were their parents.The grove was located near Mount Atlas or at Lake Tritonis. Nearby

the garden, is said to the place where Atlas was said to hold the weight of heaven on his shoulder. The grove was the wedding present of Gaea to her granddaughter Hera. So the grove was sacred to Hera. A dragon, called Ladon protected the grove.It was said that the hero Perseus went through the garden of
Hesperides, possibly meeting Atlas. Taking pity on the Titan, Perseus turned Atlas into stone, using Medusa's head. Atlas became great mountain range in modern day Morocco. However, Heracles, who was a descendent of Perseus, also came to the garden to fetch some of the golden apples, as part of the labour he needed to perform for Eurystheus. According to this version, Heracles duped Atlas into fetching the apples for him. Before he left he kicked a nearby rock which caused spring water to gush from the dry ground. The Hesperides described Heracles as an illtempered brute. This was a fortunate event, because the Argonauts arrived a few days later. They were stranded in the desert with their beached ship. The Argonauts would have died from lack of water. Taking pity on Argonauts, the Hesperides led them to the new spring that Heracles had created through his bad temper and mighty kick.

Hyades
The Hyades were sisters of Hyas and to the Pleiades. According to Hyginus in his work Fabulae, Atlas and Pleone originally had 12 daughters and a son named Hyas (though, in

Poetica Astronomica, Hyginus contradict himself, saying that there were 15 daughters). Seven daughters became the Pleiades, but five of them were known as the Hyades. Or else they were daughters of Atlas and the Oceanid Aethra, which make them half-sisters of the Pleiades. While still other says that the Hyades were daughters of Oceanus and Tethys. Hyginus had named the Hyas' sisters as Phaesyla, Ambrosia, Coronis, Eudora and Polyxo. In Poetica Astronomica, a poem attributed to Hesiod, their names were Phaesyle, Coronis, Cleeia, Phaeo and Eudora. Hyginus say that when their brother Hyas was gorged to death, by wild boar or killed by a

Calypso

A nymph or a minor goddess. Calypso was the daughter of Atlas. She lived on an island called, Ogygia. Her only companions and attendants were nymphs. In the Odyssey, the hero Odysseus found himself shipwrecked at the narrow strait between the monster Scylla and the whirlpool. Odysseus managed to swim safely to the island of Ogygia. Calypso fell in love with Odysseus. Though, he stayed on the island for seven years and he was her lover, he rejected her offer to accept immortality and lived with her as her husband. When Hermes arrived and told her she must aid Odysseus to return home, she was reluctant, but bowed down to Zeus' will, when she was threatened. Calypso couldn't persuade Odysseus to stay with her. Calypso gave her lover, the tools he needed to build a raft. She gave him plenty of supply, when he left. But Poseidon would destroy his raft later, before he managed to swim to the island of the Phaeacians. By Odysseus, Calypso became the mother of two sons, Nausithos and Nausinos. According to Telegony, Calypso was also the mother of Telegonus or Teledamus, but Circe is usually to be Telegonus' mother. According to Theogony, Hesiod had listed Calypso as an Oceanid, unless this nymph was another person. Other than the name, there is no connection between Hesiod's Oceanid and Homer's Calypso.

Ninfa
De Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre .

En la mitologa griega, una ninfa (en griego antiguo ) es una deidad femenina menor de la naturaleza, tpicamente asociada a un accidente geogrfico o lugar concreto, a pesar de lo cual eran designadas por el ttulo de olmpicas, convocadas a las reuniones de los dioses en el Olimpo y descritas como hijas de Zeus. Diferentes de los dioses, las ninfas suelen considerarse espritus divinos que animan la naturaleza, y ser representadas en obras de arte como hermosas doncellas, desnudas o semidesnudas, que aman, cantan y bailan. Poetas posteriores las describen a veces con cabellos del color del mar.1 Se crea que moraban en la tierra: en arboledas, en las cimas de montaas, en ros, arroyos, caadas y grutas.2 Segn el lugar que habiten, se les llama Agrnomos (),3 Orestades ()4 y Nyades ().5 Aunque nunca mueren de viejas o por enfermedad, y pueden engendrar de los dioses hijos completamente inmortales, ellas mismas no son necesariamente inmortales, pudiendo morir de distintas formas.Homero las describe con ms detalle presidiendo sobre los juegos, acompaando a Artemisa,6 bailando con ella, tejiendo en sus cuevas prendas prpuras y vigilando amablemente el destino de los mortales.7 A lo largo de los mitos griegos actan a menudo como ayudantes de otras deidades principales, como el proftico Apolo, el juerguista dios del vino Dioniso y dioses rsticos como Pan y Hermes. Los hombres les ofrecan sacrificios en solitario o junto con otros dioses, como por ejemplo Hermes.8 Con frecuencia eran el objetivo de los stiros.El matrimonio simblico de una ninfa y un patriarca, a menudo el epnimo de un pueblo, se repite sin fin en los mitos fundacionales griegos; su unin otorgaba autoridad al rey arcaico y su linaje.

Etimologa
Las ninfas son personificaciones de las actividades creativas y alentadoras de la naturaleza, la mayora de las veces identificadas con el flujo dador de vida de los manantiales: como seala Walter Burkert, la idea de que los ros son dioses y las fuentes ninfas divinas est profundamente arraigada no slo en la poesa sino en las creencias y rituales; la adoracin de estas deidades est limitada solo por el hecho de que se identifican inseparablemente con una localidad concreta.9La palabra griega significa novia y velado entre otras cosas; es decir, una joven en edad casadera. Otros hacen referencia a esta palabra (y tambin a la latina nubere y a la alemana Knospe) como una raz que expresa la idea de crecer (segn Hesiquio de Alejandra, uno de los significados de es capullo de rosa).

Adaptaciones
Las ninfas griegas eran espritus invariablemente vinculadas a lugares, no muy diferentes de los genii loci latinos, y la dificultad de transferir su culto puede verse en el complicado mito que llev Aretusa a Sicilia. En las obras de los poetas latinos educados en griego, las ninfas absorbieron gradualmente en sus categoras a las divinidades indgenas italianas de los manantiales y los cursos de agua (Juturna, Egeria, Carmenta, Fonto), mientras que las Linfas (originalmente Lumpae) o diosas del agua italianas, debido a la similitud fortuita de sus nombres, pudieron ser identificadas con las ninfas griegas. Es improbable que las mitologas de los poetas romanos clasicistas influyeran en los ritos y cultos de las ninfas individuales veneradas por los campesinos en las fuentes y caadas del Lacio. Entre los romanos cultos su esfera de influencia fue reducida, y aparecen casi exclusivamente como divinidades del medio acutico.

Clasificacin y adoracin
Todas las ninfas, cuyo nmero es casi infinito, pueden ser divididas en dos grandes clases. La primera abarca todas aquellas que pueden ser consideradas como un tipo de divinidad inferior, reconocida en el culto de la naturaleza. Los griegos antiguos vean en todos los fenmenos ordinarios de la naturaleza alguna manifestacin de la divinidad. Fuentes, ros, grutas, rboles y montaas: todos les parecan cargados de vida, y no eran ms que las encarnaciones visibles de otros tantos agentes divinos. Los saludables y beneficiosos poderes de la naturaleza eran pues personificaciones y considerados otras tantas divinidades, y las sensaciones producidas en el hombre por la contemplacin de la naturaleza (sobrecogimiento, terror, alegra, placer) se atribuan a la accin de diversas deidades de la naturaleza. La segunda clase de ninfas son personificaciones de tribus, razas y estados, tales como Cirene y otras.Las ninfas de la primera clase deben ser de nuevo divididas en varias especies, segn las diferentes partes de la naturaleza de las que sean representativas:

Ninfas del elemento acutico: Deben mencionarse primero a las ninfas del ocano, las Ocenides ( u ; o ninfas marinas, ), que son consideradas hijas de Ocano,10 y a continuacin a las ninfas del Mediterrneo o del mar interior, que son consideradas hijas de Nereo, por lo que son llamadas Nereidas ().11 Los ros eran representados por las Potmides (), quienes, como divinidades locales, eran bautizadas segn sus ros como Aqueloides, Angrides, Amnisades o Pactlides.12 Pero las ninfas del agua dulce, ya sea de ros, lagos, arroyos o pozos, son tambin designadas por el nombre general de Nyades (), aunque tengan adems sus nombres especficos, como Creneas (), Pegeas (), , Limntides () o Limnades ().13 Incluso los ros de las regiones inferiores (el Inframundo) se describen con sus ninfas, de ah las Nymphae infernae paludis (ninfas del pantano infernal) y las Avernales.14 Muchas de estas ninfas presidan sobre las aguas o las fuentes, creyndose que inspiraban a quienes beban de ellas, por lo que se pensaba que las propias ninfas estaban dotadas de poderes profticos u oraculares y los inspiraban a los hombres, otorgndoles as el don de la poesa.15 Los adivinos o sacerdotes inspirados eran por esto llamados a veces ninfileptos ().16 Sus poderes, sin embargo, varan con los de la fuente sobre la que presiden, considerndose as que algunas tenan el poder de devolver la salud a las personas enfermas,17 y como el agua es necesaria para alimentar a la vegetacin as como a todos los seres vivos, las ninfas acuticas (Hidrades, ) eran tambin adoradas junto con Dioniso y Demter como dadoras de vida y bendicin a todas las criaturas, y este atributo es expresado por una variedad de eptetos, tales como , , (nomias), (curtrofas) y otros. Como su influencia era de esta forma ejercida sobre todas las secciones de la naturaleza, aparecen con frecuencia relacionadas con divinidades superiores, como por ejemplo con Apolo, el dios proftico y protector de las manadas y rebaos;18 con Artemisa, la cazadora y protectora del juego, pues ella misma fue originalmente una ninfa arcadia;19 con Hermes, el fructfero dios de los rebaos;20 con Dioniso21 y con Pan, los Silenos y los Stiros, a quienes se unan en deleites y bailes bquicos. Ninfas de las montaas y grutas, llamadas Orades () y Orodemnades (), pero a veces tambin por nombres derivados de las montaas concretas que habitaban, como Citernides (), Pelades (), Coricias (), etc.22 Ninfas de los bosques, arboledas y praderas, donde se crea que a veces se aparecan y asustaban a los viajeros solitarios. Eran designadas por los nombres Alseides (), , Aulonades () y Napeas ().23 Ninfas de los rboles, de las que se crea que moran junto con los rboles en los que vivan y con los que haban llegado a existir. Eran llamadas Drades (), Hamadrades () o Adrades

(), de , que significa no slo roble sino tambin cualquier rbol silvestre que crece majestuoso. Las ninfas de los rboles frutales eran llamadas Mlides (), Melades (), Epimlides () o Hamamlides (). Parecen ser de origen arcadio y nunca aparecen junto con los grandes dioses.24 La segunda clase de ninfas, que estaban relacionadas con ciertas razas o localidades ( ),25 tienen normalmente un nombre derivado de los lugares con los que estaban asociadas, como Nisadas, Dodnidas o Lemnias.26 Los sacrificios ofrecidos a las ninfas solan consistir en cabras, corderos, leche y aceites, pero nunca vino.27 Eran adoradas y honradas con santuarios en muchas partes de Grecia, especialmente cerca de las fuentes, arboledas y grutas, como por ejemplo cerca de una fuente en Cirtones,28 en tica,29 en Olimpia,30 en Mgara,31 entre Sicin y Fliunte32 y en otros lugares.

En la cultura contempornea
Folclore griego moderno
La antigua creencia griega en las ninfas sobrevivi en muchas partes del pas hasta principios del siglo XX, cuando solan ser conocidas como nereidas. En esa poca, John Cuthbert Lawson escribi:
...no hay probablemente ningn rincn o aldea en toda Grecia donde las mujeres no tomen como mnimo precauciones contra los robos y las maldades de las nereidas, mientras siguen encontrndose muchos hombres que relatan de completa buena fe historias sobre su belleza, pasin y capricho. No es solo una cuestin de fe: ms de una vez he estado en pueblos donde ciertas nereidas haban sido vistas por varias personas (al menos as lo aseguraban), y haba una maravillosa coincidencia entre los testigos al describir su apariencia y atuendo.33

Las ninfas tenda a frecuentar zonas alejadas de los humanos pero podan ser halladas por viajeros solitarios fuera de los pueblos, donde poda orse su msica y estos podan espiar sus bailes o baos en un arroyo o charca, ya fuera en el calor del medioda o a medianoche. Podan aparecer en un torbellino. Estos encuentros podan ser peligrosos, provocando enmudecimiento, enamoramiento, locura o apopleja al desafortunado humano. Cuando los padres crean que su hijo haba sido embrujado por una nereida, rezaban a San Artemidos.34 35

Connotaciones sexuales
Debido a la representacin de algunas de las ninfas mitolgicas como seres femeninos que mantienen relaciones con hombres y mujeres a voluntad, y completamente fuera del dominio masculino, el estereotipo se aplica a menudo a quienes presentan una conducta parecida.. El trmino ninfomana fue creado por la psicologa moderna para aludir al deseo de mantener relaciones sexuales a un nivel lo suficientemente alto como para considerarse clnicamente relevante. Debido al mal uso generalizado del trmino por parte de profanos y a los estereotipos asociados a l, los profesionales prefieren actualmente el trmino hipersexualidad, ya que no todas las ninfas tenian una naturaleza sexual. Las ninfas que acompaaban a la Diosa Artemisa eran vrgenes y nunca tuvieron algun tipo de actividad sexual ya que eso le quitaria fuerza necesitada por la Diosa Artemisa para pelear en una batalla.