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A hamadryad (; grc, αμαδρυάδα, hamadryáda) is a Greek mythological being that lives in
tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...
s. It is a particular type of dryad which, in turn, is a particular type of
nymph A nymph ( grc, νύμφη, nýmphē, el, script=Latn, nímfi, label=Modern Greek; , ) in ancient Greek folklore is a minor female nature deity. Different from Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature, are ...
. Hamadryads are born bonded to a certain tree. Some maintain that a hamadryad is the tree itself, with a normal dryad being simply the indwelling
entity An entity is something that exists as itself, as a subject or as an object, actually or potentially, concretely or abstractly, physically or not. It need not be of material existence. In particular, abstractions and legal fictions are usually ...
, or spirit, of the tree. If the tree should die, the hamadryad associated with it would die as well. For this reason, both dryads and gods would punish
mortal Mortal means susceptible to death; the opposite of immortal. Mortal may also refer to: * Mortal (band), a Christian industrial band * The Mortal, Sakurai Atsushi's project band * ''Mortal'' (novel), a science fiction fantasy novel by Ted Dekke ...
s who harmed trees.


List of hamadryads

The Deipnosophistae of Athenaeus lists eight hamadryads, the daughters of
Oxylus In Greek mythology, Oxylus (; Ancient Greek: Ὄξυλος ''Oxulos'') may refer to: * Oxylus, ''daimon'' of the mountain beech forests, son of Orius (god of Mount Othrys or the Pindus), who is noted in the Deipnosophistae for fathering the Hamadr ...
and Hamadryas: * Karya ( walnut or
hazelnut The hazelnut is the fruit of the hazel tree and therefore includes any of the nuts deriving from species of the genus '' Corylus'', especially the nuts of the species ''Corylus avellana''. They are also known as cobnuts or filberts according ...
) * Balanos ( oak) * Kraneia (
dogwood ''Cornus'' is a genus of about 30–60 species of woody plants in the family Cornaceae, commonly known as dogwoods, which can generally be distinguished by their blossoms, berries, and distinctive bark. Most are deciduous trees or ...
) * Morea (
mulberry ''Morus'', a genus of flowering plants in the family Moraceae, consists of diverse species of deciduous trees commonly known as mulberries, growing wild and under cultivation in many temperate world regions. Generally, the genus has 64 ident ...
) * Aigeiros ( black poplar) * Ptelea ( elm) * Ampelos (vines, especially ''
Vitis ''Vitis'' (grapevine) is a genus of 79 accepted species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus is made up of species predominantly from the Northern Hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, ...
'') * Syke/Sykea (
fig The fig is the edible fruit of ''Ficus carica'', a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Moraceae. Native to the Mediterranean and western Asia, it has been cultivated since ancient times and is now widely grown throughout the world ...
)


Other hamadryads

* Atlanteia * Chrysopeleia * Phoebe * Byblis * Dryope *
Heliades In Greek mythology, the Heliades (Ancient Greek: Ἡλιάδες means 'daughters of the sun') also called Phaethontides (meaning "daughters of Phaethon") were the daughters of Helios and Clymene, an Oceanid nymph. Names According to one v ...
*
Hesperides In Greek mythology, the Hesperides (; , ) are the nymphs of evening and golden light of sunsets, who were the "Daughters of the Evening" or "Nymphs of the West". They were also called the Atlantides () from their reputed father, the Titan At ...


Scientific names

The mother, Hamadryas, is immortalized in three scientific names, two of which are still valid: the generic name of the cracker butterfly, the specific name of the northernmost monkey in
Asia Minor Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...
, the
hamadryas baboon The hamadryas baboon (''Papio hamadryas'' ) is a species of baboon within the Old World monkey family. It is the northernmost of all the baboons, being native to the Horn of Africa and the southwestern region of the Arabian Peninsula. These re ...
, and the original (but no longer valid) genus name of the king cobra (originally ''Hamadryas hannah'', now ''Ophiophagus hannah''). The cracker butterfly is more arboreal than most butterflies, as it commonly camouflages itself on trees. It feeds on sap, rotting fruit and dung. The hamadryas baboon is one of the least arboreal monkeys, but was the most common monkey in Hellenic lands. The king cobra is sometimes considered arboreal or semi-arboreal, and is also referred to by the common name "hamadryad", especially in older literature.


In popular culture

* Hamadryad is referenced as a whole in
Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wid ...
's poem " Sonnet To Science". * Hamadryad is referenced in Anthony Ashley Cooper's ''
Characteristicks of Men, Manners, Opinions, Times Anthony Ashley Cooper, 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury (26 February 1671 – 16 February 1713) was an English politician, philosopher, and writer. Early life He was born at Exeter House in London, the son of the future Anthony Ashley Cooper, 2nd Ear ...
'' (1714: Treatise 4, Part 3, Section 1). * In Aldous Huxley's ''
Crome Yellow ''Crome Yellow'' is the first novel by British author Aldous Huxley, published by Chatto & Windus in 1921, followed by a U.S. edition by George H. Doran Company in 1922. Though a social satire of its time, it is still appreciated and has been ...
'', Anne Wimbush is referred to as "the slim Hamadryad whose movements were like the swaying of a young tree in the wind". * In George Eliot's ''The Mill on The Floss'', Book V, Chapter 3, the character Philip Wakem uses the term to describe Maggie Tulliver. * In William Faulkner's novel ''Soldier's Pay'', Chapter 2, Januarius Jones uses this term to describe a young lady. * Both hamadryads and dryads exist in
C. S. Lewis Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963) was a British writer and Anglican lay theologian. He held academic positions in English literature at both Oxford University (Magdalen College, 1925–1954) and Cambridge Univer ...
's Narnia. * In Robert A. Heinlein's '' Time Enough for Love'', Hamadryad is the name of a "young" woman. * In John Steinbeck's ''
To a God Unknown ''To a God Unknown'' is a novel by John Steinbeck, first published in 1933. The book was Steinbeck's third novel (after '' Cup of Gold'' and '' The Pastures of Heaven''). Steinbeck found ''To a God Unknown'' extremely difficult to write; taking ...
'', Chapter 16: "Jesus is a better savior than a hamadryad". * In Nalo Hopkinson's short story "The Smile on the Face", the main character swallows a cherry from the cherry tree that seems to be inhabited by a hamadryad. *
Brandon Mull Brandon Mull is an American author best known for his children's fantasy series, ''Fablehaven'', as well as ''Dragonwatch'', '' The Candy Shop War'', the ''Beyonders'' trilogy, and the ''Five Kingdoms'' series.Howard, Chris (March 7, 2008)Interv ...
's '' Fablehaven'' series mentions hamadryads in the third book, Grip of the Shadow Plague. * In P L Travers' ''
Mary Poppins It may refer to: * ''Mary Poppins'' (book series), the original 1934–1988 children's fantasy novels that introduced the character. * Mary Poppins (character), the nanny with magical powers. * ''Mary Poppins'' (film), a 1964 Disney film star ...
'', the children Jane and Michael meet a king cobra, referred to by the name Hamadryad, at the zoo. * In
Seanan McGuire Seanan McGuire (pronounced SHAWN-in; born January 5, 1978 in Martinez, California) is an American author and filker. McGuire is known for her urban fantasy novels. She uses the pseudonym Mira Grant to write science fiction/ horror and the pseudo ...
's October Daye series, the hamadryad are a type of fae closely bonded to trees. * The 1990 William Friedkin film, ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...
'', features a hamadryad as the main antagonist.


See also

*
Querquetulanae In ancient Roman religion and myth, the Querquetulanae or ''Querquetulanae virae'' were nymphs of the oak grove ''(querquetum)'' at a stage of producing green growth. Their sacred grove ''( lucus)'' was within the Porta Querquetulana, a gate in t ...
, Roman nymphs of the oak


Note


References


The Deipnosophists, or, Banquet of the Learned of Athenaeus
presented online by th
University of Wisconsin Digital Collections Center
{{Authority control Nymphs Women in Greek mythology Characters in Greek mythology Tree goddesses