#hylas and the nymphs

[artesie]

John William Waterhouse. 1896. Hylas and the Nymphs details.

[the-evil-clergyman]

Hylas Carried Off by Nymphs by Henry Howard (19th Century)

[artschoolglasses]

Hylas and the Nymphs, John Willian Waterhouse, 1896

[hsw3k]

Hylas I see, but why does he cover his hair with rushes? Why does he carry a pitcher? What is that blue he wears?

Valerius Flaccus, Argonautica

I don't know if this pic was a deliberate homage to the John William Waterhouse painting, but it was extremely useful as a reference.

[thefairywithboots]

Hylas and the Nymphs (1896) by John William Waterhouse

[shy-girl04]

Hylas and the Nymphs - John William Waterhouse, 1896

[stigmatam4rtyr]

Hylas and the Nymphs (1896) | John William Waterhouse

[princess-ibri]

Sorry it’s been a bit since I posted some art on this, been busy. To make up for it here’s some old art/an edit I did of Hercules and Hylas . (Like super old I did these when I first had a tablet but was too nervous to post them back then x)

In the myths Hyllas is a fellow argonaut with Hercules who in some accounts was possibly romantically involved with him before he was kidnapped by water nymphs. Hercules in the tv show is always having romantic troubles and I thought it would be fun to include Hylas in there.

In the hypothetical episode Hylas is a transfer student to the Academy who joins the swim team and Hercules instantly gets a crush on him but is too nervous to ask him out. There would be a big athletic competition with a rival school coming up (possibly Troy again) and the rival school brings in some nymphs to kidnap Hylas so they can win by forfeit. Hercules finds out and has to go rescue him and they finally get to go on a date at the end ❤️

(Agh this art is so ooold 😅)

[venustapolis]

Hilas y las ninfas (John William Waterhouse, 1896)

[hhannahhs]

Hylas and the Nymphs by John William Waterhouse. 1896

[theoi-crow]

This art piece always breaks my heart because this is Hylas, the male lover of Hercules who was drinking water by the spring when the water nymphs pulled him down into a nearby river and drowned him.

Hylas and Hercules were aboard the Argos with Jason and the Argonauts before this happened. They stopped mid travel for a travel break and Hylas died calling out to Hercules who couldn't find him.

In the end Hercules desperately searched for him for so long that he didn't realize the Argos had left without them.

The Roman poet Propertius wrote a beautiful poem warning his friend Gallus about having a beautiful male lover who will eventually leave him for women due to Roman societal expectations thus he'd be symbolically taken away from him by nymphs in the same way Hylas was taken away from Hercules by the water nymphs.

Here is a small snippet of the poem:

(Link to the full poem)

When you click on the link, look for: Book I:20:1-52: The story of Hylas: a warning to Gallus

Hylas and the Water Nymphs by Henrietta Rae (1909)

[user2962817620]

[laurasimonsdaughter]

I think that we as a whole could be fixating more on my boy Hylas, who got stolen by a gaggle of nymphs. He deserves it:

He’s a prince, son of the nymph Menodice (daughter of Orion) and a human king (usually Theiodamas).

He gets taken by Heracles, after the latter defeats his father and kills all his men, but Hylas is too beautiful to harm, so he makes him his arms-bearer instead.

Hylas proves to be so beautiful and talented that Heracles can’t help loving him and starts training him as a warrior.

Hylas becomes devoted to Heracles and they both join Jason and the Argonauts on their journey, until Heracles demands to go ashore to make himself a new oar and sends Hylas to find fresh water.

Hylas finds a beautiful pool filled by a spring, but when he leans over the water to taste it, the naiads (water nymphs) in the depths see him.

Depending on which version of the tale you follow, either one or all of the nymphs fall in love with him and lure/drag him into the water, leaving him only enough time for a single cry for help.

Heracles (and Polyphemus) look for him, but to no avail, the nymphs are never letting him go again.

In some accounts Hylas wants to stay with the nymphs, because he fell in love with one or all of them. In others he is being held there against his will (or is at least kept away from Heracles against his will). Either way, he is never seen or heard from again.

Now I know very well that when it comes to Ancient Greek culture there are tragic themes and hands of fate in here that have their own context and importance, that I have next to no insight in. But looking at it through my love for folktales you have a half-nymph raised among humans, who is so beautiful that he is stolen by a demi-god, and then inevitably lured into the immortal world below. Where he will be beloved, but forever separated from his human life.

It's sad and gorgeous and enough to make Hylas an absolute favourite of mine~

[serial34]

elopement (2024.2 rkgk)

[voluptuarian]

13 days of witches: witch of the holy spring

"…a still, bright pool. To men I may not tell / The secrets that its heart of water knows… / Yet this I say to cliff and close-leaved dell: / A fitful spirit haunts yon limpid well." — Henry Kendall

Culture after culture has found the spring, faith after faith, recognizing its power in a thousand dialects and by a hundred titles, time and again declaring it sacred, divinely touched. One after another those cultures pass from the land, those faiths fade into memory, yet the spring remains. Time alters its outlines, changes the notes of its bubbling music, but it is never erased. Just as constant is the spring's attendant witch. Some have called her a fairy, others a ghost, some even believed her the spirit of the spring itself. She is part guardian, part caretaker, part priestess, called to serve and protect the spring until the end of her life when another will take her place. In return the spring grants its keeper a share in its power, an ever-renewing spark of energy from which the witch may always draw. Invigorated with its power the witch serves the spring, the land, and its people for ages beyond her own paltry mortal span. Her days are spent in purification and healing, easing pain, fostering the life of forest and field, and tending to the many pilgrims who come to her for aid or to partake in the spring's life-giving waters-- and in denying all such offerings to any who would threaten the spring or hoard its gifts.