Arethusa
Arethusa was a nymph of Artemis who was pursued by the river god Alpheus and transformed into a freshwater spring on the island of Ortygia in Syracuse.
The Myth of Arethusa
Arethusa, a nymph and follower of Artemis, was bathing in a river when the river god Alpheus fell in love with her. She fled across the sea to the island of Ortygia in Syracuse, where Artemis transformed her into a sacred spring. But Alpheus pursued her beneath the ocean, mingling his waters with hers — the Greeks believed fresh flowers thrown into the Alpheus in Arcadia would surface in Arethusa's fountain in Sicily. Demeter revealed to Arethusa the fate of Persephone, abducted by Hades, because Arethusa's underground waters had witnessed the act. The myth connected mainland Greece to its colonies and illustrated Artemis's fierce protection of her companions.
Symbols
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Aegina
🌿 nymphrivers, islands
A river nymph abducted by Zeus and brought to the island that bears her name.
Creusa
🌿 nymphsprings, motherhood
A Naiad nymph of Thessaly who bore Hypseus and Stilbe to the river god Peneus.
Naiads
🌿 nymphFreshwater nymphs
Naiads presided over every spring, stream, river, lake, and fountain — their water held prophetic and healing powers.
Lilaea
🌿 nymphrivers, springs
A Naiad nymph of the spring that feeds the river Cephissus in Phocis, and the namesake of an ancient Greek town.
Castalia
🌿 nymphprophecy, springs
A nymph who was transformed into a spring at Delphi, whose waters inspired prophetic visions.
Metope
🌿 nymphrivers, motherhood
A river nymph, daughter of the river Ladon, who married the river god Asopus and bore him twenty daughters — many of whom were abducted by gods.
Salmacis
🌿 nymphdesire
Water nymph of Caria whose desperate embrace of Hermaphroditus caused the gods to fuse them into a single dual-sexed being.
Cyane
🌿 nymphsprings, grief
A Sicilian water nymph who tried to stop Hades from abducting Persephone and dissolved into her own spring from grief.
Calirrhoe
🌿 nymphBeautiful flowing water
Oceanid nymph of beautifully flowing springs who married the river god Chrysaor
Idaea
🌿 nymphmountains, springs
A nymph of Mount Ida in the Troad who became the second wife of the river god Scamander — or in other versions, of King Phineus.
Alpheus River
🏛 placegeography
The longest river in the Peloponnese, personified as a god who pursued the nymph Arethusa beneath the sea.
Egeria
🌿 nymphcounsel, springs
A prophetic water nymph of Italian tradition who served as divine adviser to Rome's second king, Numa Pompilius.