Monday, March 05, 2012

Naiads

The Naiads were nymphs of bodies of fresh water and were one of the three main classes of water nymphs - the others being the Nereids(nymphs of the Mediterranean Sea) and the Oceanids (nymphs of the oceans). The Naiads presided over rivers, streams, brooks, springs, fountains, lakes, ponds, wells, and marshes. They were divided into various subclasses: Crinaeae (fountains), Pegaeae (springs), Eleionomae (marshes), Potameides (rivers), and Limnades or Limnatides (lakes). Roman sources even assigned custody of the rivers ofHades to Naiads classified as Nymphae Infernae Paludis or the Avernales.

---SPSmith

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