Companions of the Goddess

One of the favourite pastimes of many nymphs was hunting. These nymphs often became hunting companions of the goddess Artemis.

Artemis was the goddess of hunting and the chase. She was a powerful goddess of the forest and the Lady of Wild Beasts. Because of the number of nymphs who followed Artemis, she was sometimes referred to as the goddess of the nymphs, since she was their leader in the hunt.

Many nymphs tried to emulate their goddess, not only through hunting, but they also tried to remain as virgins. This was frequently not possible, because powerful gods (eg. Zeus, Poseidon, Apollo, etc) and mortal men (eg. Minos) often tried to seduce or ravish them. They were sought after, because of their beauty. However, a few did manage to escape from amorous gods or heroes, thereby preserving their chastity.

For Callisto, see Wrath of Heaven. For Britomartis (Dictynna), see Mother Goddesses, Britomartis.