In Greek mythology, Crocale (Ancient Greek: Κροκάλη means ‘sea-shore, beach’) was a naiad in the train of Artemis. She was probably from Thebes by the account of her parentage.
Family
Crocale was the daughter of the river-god Ismenus, and thus possibly the sister of other naiads: Dirce, Strophia, Ismenis; and the younger Linus, the music teacher of Heracles.
Mythology
Crocale only appeared in the account of Ovid in his Metamorphoses where she was mentioned as one of the nymph attendants of Artemis who was accidentally seen naked by the hunter Actaeon:
- “After Diana (i.e. Artemis) entered with her nymphs,
- she gave her javelin, quiver and her bow
- to one accustomed to the care of arms;
- she gave her mantle to another nymph
- who stood near by her as she took it off;
- two others loosed the sandals from her feet;
- but Crocale, the daughter of Ismenus,
- more skillful than her sisters, gathered up
- the goddess' scattered tresses in a knot;—
- her own were loosely wantoned on the breeze.
- Then in their ample urns dipt up the wave
- and poured it forth, the cloud-nymph Nephele,
- the nymph of crystal pools called Hyale,
- the rain-drop Rhanis, Psecas of the dews,
- and Phyale the guardian of their urns.
- And while they bathed Diana in their streams,
- Actaeon, wandering through the unknown woods,
- entered the precincts of that sacred grove;
- with steps uncertain wandered he as fate
- directed, for his sport must wait till morn.—
- soon as he entered where the clear springs welled
- or trickled from the grotto's walls, the nymphs,
- now ready for the bath, beheld the man,
- smote on their breasts, and made the woods resound,
- suddenly shrieking. Quickly gathered they
- to shield Diana with their naked forms, but she
- stood head and shoulders taller than her guards.—
- she as clouds bright-tinted by the slanting sun,
- or purple-dyed Aurora, so appeared
- Diana's countenance when she was seen.”
References
- ^ Ovid, Metamorphoses 3.169
- Euripides, Heracles 784; Callimachus, Hymn to Delos 76; Nonnus, 44.10
- Callimachus, Hymn to Delos 76
- Statius, Thebaid 9.319
- Pausanias, 9.29.9
- Ovid, Metamorphoses 3.155-185
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