Napaeae

This article is about Greek mythology nymph. For genus of metalmark butterflies, see Napaea (butterfly). For flowering plant genus in the Malvaceae family, see Napaea (plant).

In Greek mythology, the Napaeae /nəˈpiː.iː/ (Ancient Greek: ναπαῖαι, from νάπη; English translation: "a wooded dell") were a type of nymph that lived in wooded valleys, glens or grottoes. Statius invoked them in his Thebaid, when the naiad Ismenis addresses her mortal son Krenaios:

“I was held a greater goddess and the queen of Nymphae. Where alas! is that late crowd of courtiers round thy mother’s halls, where are the Napaeae that prayed to serve thee?”