NEAIRA

NEAIRA (Neaera) was a nymph of the mythical island of Thrinakia (Thrinacia) loved by the sun-god Helios. She bore him two shining daughters--the rustic-nymphs Lampetia and Phaethousa.

The island of Thrinakia might be the same as Trinakria which was an old Greek name for the island of Sicily.

Neaira's name means "New-Rising" or "Newly-Risen" from the Greek words neos "new" and aeirô "to rise." She was probably a minor goddess of the dawn similar to Eos.

PARENTS

Perhaps a daughter of OKEANOS & TETHYS, though nowhere stated

OFFSPRING

LAMPETIA, PHAETHOUSA (by Helios) (Homer Odyssey 12.128)

ENCYCLOPEDIA

NEAERA (Neaira). A nymph, who became by Helios the mother of Lampetia and Phaetusa. (Hom. Od. xii. 133.)

Source: Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.

CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

Homer, Odyssey 12. 138 ff (trans. Shewring) (Greek epic C8th B.C.) :
"Lovely-haired Nymphai (Nymphs) named Phaethousa (Phaethusa) and Lampetie (Lampetia), whose father is the sun-god Hyperion [Helios] and whose mother is bright Neaira (Neaera); having borne and bred them, she took them away to remote Thrinakia (Thrinacia) to live there and tend their father's sheep and the herds with curling horns."

SOURCES

GREEK

• Homer, The Odyssey - Greek Epic C8th B.C.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page.