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THE HALIAI or HALIADES were the nymphs of the Sea. They were depicted as beautiful maidens, sometimes riding through the sea on the backs of Hippokampoi (Fish-tailed horses), Ketea (Sea-monsters) and dolphins.
ENCYCLOPEDIA
HA′LIA (Halia). One of the Nereides (Hom. Il. xviii. 42; Apollod. i. 2. § 6); but the plural, Haliae, is used as a name for marine nymphs in general. (Soph. Philoct. 1470; Callim. Hymn. in Dian. 13.)
Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.
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| LIST OF SEA NYMPHS |
AMPHITRITE One of the Nereides and the wife of Poseidon King of the Sea. |
| ARGYRA A Sea-Nymphe loved by the hero Selemnos. |
| BENTHESIKYME A Sea-Nymphe daughter of Poseidon and wife of Enalos king of Aithiopia. |
| EIDOTHEA A Sea-Nymphe daughter of Proteus. |
| GALATEIA One of the Nereides, she was loved by the Kyklops Polyphemos. |
| HALIA A Sea-Nymphe daughter of Pontos loved by Poseidon. |
| KABEIRO A Sea-Nymphe daughter of Proteus loved by Hephaistos. |
| KALLISTE A Sea-Nymphe daughter of Triton and goddess of the island of Kalliste. |
| KYMOPOLEIA A Sea-Nymphe daughter of Poseidon and the wife of the giant Briareos. |
| LEUKOTHEA A mortal woman and nurse of Dionysos who was transformed into a Sea-Nymphe at her death. |
| NEREIDES, THE The fifty Sea-Nymphe daughters of Nereus the old man of the sea. |
| PALLAS A Sea-Nymphe daughter of Triton. She was companion of Athene. |
| PSAMATHE One of the Nereides and the wife of the sea-god Proteus. |
| RHODE A Sea-Nymphe daughter of Poseidon and wife of Helios. She was goddess of the island of Rhodes. |
| SKYLLA A Sea-Nymphe daughter of Phorkys loved by Glaukos. She was transformed into a monster by Kirke. |
| THETIS One of the Nereides and the wife of the hero Peleus. |
| THOOSA A Sea-Nymphe daughter of Phorkys loved by Poseidon. |
| TRITEIA A Sea-Nymphe daughter of Triton loved by Ares. |
| TRITONIDES Sea-nymph daughters of the marine god Triton. |
| TRITONIS A Sea-Nymphe daughter of Triton and goddess of the salty Lake Tritonis of Libya. |
Sophocles, Philoctetes 1470 ff (Greek tragedy C5th B.C.) :
"Chorus: Come let us go now all together, and pray to the Nymphai Haliai (of the Sea i) to grant us a prosperous voyage."
Pausanias, Description of Greece 7. 23. 1 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) :
"Argyra, they say, was a Nymphe Thalassa (Sea)."
Orphic Hymn 24 to the Nereides (trans. Taylor) (Greek hymns C3rd B.C. to 2nd A.D.) :
"[The Nereides] fifty inspired Nymphai Einalioi (Of the Sea), who through the main delight to follow in the Tritones' train, rejoicing close behind their ars to keep; whose forms half wide are nourished by the deep, with other Nymphai of different degree, leaping and wandering through the liquid sea. Bright, watery dolphins, sonorous and gay, well-pleased to sport with Bacchanalian play; Nymphai beauteous-eyed, whom sacrifice delights, give plenteous wealth, and bless our mystic rites."
Ovid, Metamorphoses 13. 736 ff (trans. Melville) (Roman epic C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.) :
"Many a suitor sought her [the sea nymph Skylla's] hand, but she repulsed them all and went to the Nymphae Pelagi (Sea-Nymphs), she was the Sea-Nymphae's favourite, and told how she’d eluded all the young men’s love."
Statius, Silvae 3. 1. 144 ff (trans. Mozley) (Roman poetry C1st A.D.) :
"The very Nymphae of the green waters leap forth unbidden from their pumice caves; they cling to the streaming rocks nor think shame to gaze unseen on the naked wrestlers [of the Games]."
Statius, Silvae 2. 2. 102 ff :
"Often in autumn-time when the grapes are ripening, a Nereis [here probably meaning a sea-nymphe in general] climbs the rocks, and under cover of the shades of night brushes the sea-water from her eyes with a leafy vine-spray, and snatches sweet clusters from the hills. Often is the vintage sprinkled by the neighbouring foam; Satyri plunge into the waters, and Panes from the mountain are fain to grasp the Sea-Nympha as she flies naked through the waves."
Catullus, Carmina 64. 103 ff (Roman poetry C1st A.D.) :
"And then on that propitious day [the sailing of the first ship] mortal eyes gazed on the Nymphae Marini (Of the Sea) with naked bodies bare to the breasts outstanding from the foamy swirl."
Sources:
- Sophocles, Philoctetes - Greek Tragedy C5th B.C.
- Pausanias, Description of Greece - Greek Travelogue C2nd A.D.
- The Orphic Hymns - Greek Hymns C3rd B.C. - C2nd A.D.
- Ovid, Metamorphoses - Latin Epic C1st B.C - C1st A.D.
- Statius, Silvae - Latin Poetry C1st A.D.
- Cattulus, Carmina - Latin Poetry C1st B.C.
- Others, see individual entries
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