Rhode
A sea nymph, daughter of Poseidon and Amphitrite (or Aphrodite), who gave her name to the island of Rhodes.
The Myth of Rhode
Rhode was a daughter of Poseidon — though her mother varies between Amphitrite, Aphrodite, or the nymph Halia depending on the source. What all sources agree on is that she gave her name to Rhodes, one of the most important islands in the ancient Mediterranean.
When the gods divided the world among themselves, Helios the sun god was absent and received nothing. Zeus offered to redivide, but Helios declined. He had seen a new island rising from the sea floor — Rhodes — and claimed it instead. There he found Rhode, and she became his consort. Their children, the Heliadae, became the first rulers of Rhodes and were credited with advancing astronomy and navigation.
The island flourished under its solar patronage. The Colossus of Rhodes — one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World — was a statue of Helios, Rhode's divine husband. The Rhodians became the finest sailors and maritime lawyers in the ancient world, their code of sea law influencing naval regulations for two thousand years. All of it, mythologically speaking, began with a nymph rising from the waves to greet the sun.
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
Neso
🌿 nymphIslands, the sea between islands
Nereid sea nymph whose name means "island one," closely associated with the archipelagic waters of Greece
Nesaea
🌿 nymphIslands, coastal dwelling
Nereid sea nymph whose name means "island dweller," associated with the islands of the Aegean
Agaue
🌿 nymphSplendour, nobility of the sea
Nereid sea nymph whose name means "the illustrious one," representing the noble majesty of the ocean
Halia
🌿 nymphthe sea, salt
A sea nymph of Rhodes who bore six sons and a daughter to Poseidon before throwing herself into the sea in grief.
Beroe
🌿 nymphcities, the sea
A nymph born to Aphrodite and Adonis, whose hand in marriage was contested by Poseidon and Dionysus.
Psamathe
🌿 nymphSand, sandy beaches, the sea floor
Nereid sea nymph whose name means "sand goddess," personifying the sandy shores and seabed
Periboea
🌿 nymphthe sea, giants
A Naiad or sea nymph who bore the giant Nausithous to Poseidon, becoming the ancestress of the Phaeacians.
Amatheia
🌿 nymphSandy shores, soft sea beds
Nereid sea nymph whose name means "of the sand," associated with sandy beaches and the soft sea floor
Amphitrite
🌿 nymphQueen of the sea
Amphitrite was the Nereid who became queen of the sea as Poseidon's wife.
Doto
🌿 nymphGenerosity of the sea, bounty
Nereid sea nymph whose name means "the giver," representing the sea's generous bounty of fish and resources
Halie
🌿 nymphSea, salt water, brine
Nereid sea nymph whose name means "of the sea," one of the most simply named daughters of Nereus
Panope
🌿 nymphthe sea, visibility
A Nereid whose name means "all-seeing," invoked by sailors for clear views across open water.