Nereids
Minor sea-goddesses, servants of Poseidon. They take care of those lost at sea, and are especially fond of children. They carry lost boys to the safety of one of the many Greek islaes, but girls are taken to Themyscira to be healed and strengthened.
Name:
Nereids
Publisher:
Aliases:
- Nereides
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History
THE Nerides were fifty sea-nymphe daughters of Nereus the old man of the sea. They were goddesses of the sea's rich bounty and protectors of sailors and fishermen, coming to the aid of those in distress. Individually they represented various facets of the sea from the salty brine, to the sea foam, sand, rocks, waves and currents, as well as the various skills possessed by seamen.
The Nereides dwelt with their elderly father in a silvery grotto at the bottom of the Aegean Sea. The Nereid Thetis was their unofficial leader and Amphitrite was Poseidon's queen.
The Nereides were depicted in ancient art as beautiful, young maidens, sometimes running with small dolphins or fish in their hands, or else riding on the backs of dolphins, hippokampoi (hippocamps) and other sea creatures.
The name Nereides means "Daughters of Nereus" but also "the Wet Ones" from nêros the Greek word for "wet".
