Hamadryad
From Nordan Symposia
Jump to navigationJump to search
Hamadryads are Greek mythological beings that live in trees. They are a specific species of dryad, which are a particular type of nymph. Hamadryads are born bonded to a specific tree. If their tree died, the hamadryad associated with it died as well. For that reason, dryads and the gods punished any mortals who harmed trees.
The Deipnosophistae of Athenaeus lists eight Hamadryads, the daughters of Oxylos and Hamadryas (mythology):
- Karya (Nut tree)
- Balanos (Acorn tree)
- Kraneia (Cornel tree)
- Morea (Mulberry tree)
- Aigeiros (Black Poplar tree)
- Ptelea (Elm tree)
- Ampelos (Vines)
- Syke (Fig tree)
References
- The Deipnosophists, or, Banquet of the Learned of Athenaeus presented online by the University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center
