Rhode
nymphA sea nymph, daughter of Poseidon and Amphitrite (or Aphrodite), who gave her name to the island of Rhodes.
The Myth
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:
Explore Further
Halia
nymphA sea nymph of Rhodes who bore six sons and a daughter to Poseidon before throwing herself into the...
Amphitrite
nymphAmphitrite was the Nereid who became queen of the sea as Poseidon's wife.
Amphitrite (Goddess)
godAmphitrite co-ruled the oceans with Poseidon.
Aphrodite
godGoddess of love and beauty, born from the sea foam. Aphrodite's power to inspire desire was so...
Himalia
nymphA nymph of Rhodes who bore three sons to Zeus and gave her name to a moon of Jupiter.
Aphrodite (Golden One)
godThe goddess born from sea-foam whose power over desire could override the will of gods and mortals...
Helios
godThe Titan who drove the sun chariot across the sky each day, providing light to the world. Helios...
Helios (Sun God)
godHelios was the Titan god who drove the chariot of the sun across the sky each day — seeing...
Helios (Titan Witness)
titanThe Titan who drove the sun chariot across the sky each day and saw everything that happened on...
Poseidon
godLord of the seas and brother of Zeus. Poseidon's moods shaped the oceans — calm seas for those who...
Poseidon (Earth-Shaker)
godPoseidon was the god of the sea and earthquakes whose moods determined whether sailors lived or...
Poseidon Hippios
godAn epithet of Poseidon as lord of horses, reflecting his role as creator of the first horse and...