Oreads
Publié le 22/02/2012
Extrait du document
(Oreiades) Greek Mountain Nymphs;
like most nymphs, daughters of Zeus.
Some sources say the Oreads were, specifically,
the nymphs of mountain conifers, since nymphs were
often associated with specific trees. The Oreads were
the special companions of the goddess Artemis, who
liked to go hunting in mountains. Other sources,
however, associate them with specific mountains: for
example, the Idae were nymphs of Mount Ida.
The most famous Oread was Echo, who was
punished by the goddess Hera for helping her sister
nymphs, who were dallying with Zeus, to escape from
the great god's wife. Hera made Echo fade away,
except for her voice.
Cynosure, an Oread of Mount Ida, nursed the
infant Zeus when his mother, Rhea, hid him from his
father Cronus. Pitys, an Oread who vowed never to
marry, was loved by Pan, who pursued her relentlessly
though she discouraged him. The gods turned her
into a pine tree to help her escape. Britomartis, a
guardian of fishermen, was also said to be an Oread,
but only in later Greek stories; in earlier stories, she
was a Cretan goddess.