Discover here with us all about the Dryads of Greek Mythology. We show you their origins, legends and the most fascinating myths about them.
What are the Dryads?
Dryads, also called hamadryad, in Greek mythology, is a nymph or nature spirit that lives in trees and takes the form of a beautiful young woman. Dryads were originally the spirits of oak trees (seca: “oak”), but the name was later applied to all tree nymphs. They were believed to live only as long as the trees they inhabited.
Who are the Dryads?
Trees have long been thought to harbor spirits within forests and groves around the world. Dryads are such spirits, members of the minor deities known as nymphs in Greek mythology. They exist solely to care for the tree they are born with and, in rare cases, groves and other creatures. The dry ones are always female and usually inhabit oak trees, although they are also found in ash, pine, poplar, apple and laurel trees.
Dryads are considered minor, mortal goddesses who are exceptionally long-lived, but are deeply and supernaturally connected to the trees they call home, and are limited to the space of the tree or the forest in which the tree grows. If the tree dies, then the dry one could die along with it, which is a tragic vulnerability that is recognized by the gods.
If a mortal causes death, then that mortal is usually punished unless he or she has attempted to make peace or appease the Dryad. They also protect their trees with malice and fierceness, and mortals would do well not to act foolishly around any tree inhabited or protected by a Dryad.
There could be an infinite number of Dryads, as many as the number of trees on earth itself. When seen by mortals, they often appear as incredibly beautiful women who are young but have a strange sense of ancient timelessness in their mannerisms and expressions.
Origin
A Dryad is born with a link to a particular tree and they share the exceptionally long life of the tree with which they are linked. There are several groups of Dryads with different origins. The Meliai come from the blood of the castrated Uranus when it spilled onto the earth. The Oriads are believed to be daughters of the Dactyls and the Hecatherides, and later generations come from the union of the Oreities and the Satyrs. Others are simply born from the forests or from the trees themselves.
Family
Trees and forests are the true families of Dryads. Dryads can be found in two major distinctions, one that lives within the tree itself and is known as hamadryad, and another that lives near or close to the tree but not within it.
Among the Dryads there are several types, each associated with a different type of tree. The most common are the Hamadryad, which are born among oaks and poplars, along waterways or sacred groves. The Meliade, of ash trees, are ancient and were married by men in the Silver Age before the first woman was created, and are believed to be the creators of mankind.
Oreades inhabit mountain pines and wild places. Meliades and Epimelias inhabit fruit or apple trees and are guardians of both trees and sheep. The Daphnia are rare and live in laurel trees. Finally there are the Caryatids, which inhabit walnut trees.
History
They are timeless and existed long before man, but mankind has had interactions with them throughout history. A few notable Dryads were taken as wives by men; examples would be Atlanteia and Phoebe who were both wives of Danaus. Gods and children of gods have also seduced some.
Chrysopeleia
A dangerous flood threatened the tree on which the Dryad Chrysopeleia was born. Arcas, the son of Zeus and Callisto, witnessed the flood while hunting in the forest and quickly built a dam to change the course of the river and save the tree. Chrysopelia was overcome by love for Arcas and became his wife, and their sons Apheidas and Elatus were born.
Dryope
Dryope existed as a black poplar after being tricked by Apollo. While frolicking with the Hamadryads on Mount Oeta, Apollo found her disguised as a tortoise. The young maidens took it as a pet and did not know that it was Apollo who had been chasing Driope. When Driope held the tortoise in her lap, she suddenly transformed into a snake, coiled it around her and savagely raped it.
The other nymphs fled in terror and she gave birth to a son named Amphisus. Later, Amphisus built a temple to Apollo and Driope became priestess of the temple, but Apollo returned again as a serpent and repeated the rape while standing by a spring. She transformed herself into a poplar tree to escape her lust.
Eurydice
Eurydice, an oak Dryad, fell in love with Orpheus because of the beauty of the music he played for her. She and Orpheus married, and she was so beautiful that Aristotle also pursued her. In her attempt to flee from him, she was bitten by a poisonous snake and died. Orpheus bitterly mourned her death and traveled to the Underworld to rescue her from death. Her music put Cerberus to sleep and convinced Hades to allow her to return with Orpheus to the realm of the living, but on conditions.
Orpheus could not look back until they had both reached the upper world, or he would not be allowed to leave the Underworld. At the threshold of the living, Orpheus felt a moment’s doubt that Hades might have tricked him and turned, looking at Eurydice who had not yet crossed the threshold, and she, tearfully and tragically, was dragged back to the Underworld.
Current Influence of the Dryads
Dryads are believed to have beneficial and supernatural powers of nature that bring a sense of awe and wonder to mortals, along with terror and fear as well. They are not something to be taken lightly, but deserve the respect accorded to any divine being.
They bring a sense of life and nature to the places where their trees dwell and are mysterious and unique. Dryads are frequently mentioned in works of poetry, plays and music. They are also respected and worshipped in pagan rituals to this day.
