Greek Nymphs: Myth, Cult, LoreGreek Nymphs: Myths, Cult, Lore is the first comprehensive study of the nymph in the ancient Greek world. This well-illustrated book examines nymphs as both religious and mythopoetic figures, tracing their development and significance in Greek culture from Homer through the Hellenistic period. Drawing upon a broad range of literary and archaeological evidence, Jennifer Larson discusses sexually powerful nymphs in ancient and modern Greek folklore, the use of dolls representing nymphs in the socialization of girls, the phenomenon of nympholepsy, the nymphs' relations with other deities in the Greek pantheon, and the nymphs' role in mythic narratives of city-founding and colonization. The book includes a survey of the evidence for myths and cults of the nymphs arranged by geographical region, and a special section of the worship of nymphs in caves throughout the Greek world. |
Contents
1 WHAT IS A NYMPH? | 3 |
2 ANCIENT AND MODERN NARRATIVES | 61 |
3 GODS GODDESSES AND NYMPHS | 91 |
4 LORE OF THE NYMPHS IN THE GREEK WORLD | 121 |
5 CAVES OF THE NYMPHS AND VOTIVE ICONOGRAPHY | 226 |
AFTERWORD | 268 |
ABBREVIATIONS AND EDITIONS OF PRIMARY SOURCES | 271 |
NOTES | 281 |
BIBLIOGRAPHY | 333 |
| 359 | |
| 365 | |
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Common terms and phrases
abduction Acheloös Aigina altar ancient Anth Aphrodite Apollo appear archaic Archedamos Arethousa Argon Aristaios Arkadian Artemis Asopos associated Athens attested Attic B.C.E. FGrHist baths Boiotian Callim Callimachus Charites chorus classical coins cult dance Daphnis daughter dedicated deities depict Dionysos divine dolls eponymous Euboia examples female figures FGrHist fifth century fourth century fragment genealogy goddesses gods Greek Hellenistic period Hera Herakles herdsman Hermes hero heroines Hesiod Homeric Homeric Hymn Hylas Hymn iconography Imhoof-Blumer 1908 inscription island Kallirhoë Kephisos Korykian cave Kouretes Kyrene maidens Meliai mortal mother motif mountain Muses myth mythic naiad naiad nymph neraïdes numphai numphê nuvmfai nymphaion nympholept nymphs Okeanid Okeanos oracle Paus Pausanias Peleus Pind Pindar Poseidon Rhod ritual river sacrifice sanctuary Schol sexual shrine Sicily silens sources spring story Strabo terra-cotta Thebe Thessaly Thracian tree vase votive reliefs worship Zeus