Deiopea was one of the most beautiful and desirable of the Sea Nymphs (female spirits of the seas; also known as Nereids).
She was one of the daughters of Nereus (“The Old Man of the Sea”), and the Oceanid Doris and was long beholden to be one of Juno's fourteen nymphs that were promised in marriage to Aeolus (The king of The Winds) as payment in return for his help in shipwrecking Trojan refugees.
Deiopea was in the train of Cyrene along with her sisters, Ephyre, Opis and Arethusa all together there were some 50 daughters of Nereus. Vergil described Deiopea as most excellent in beauty (or praestanti corpore… meaning having an ‘excellent body’) which made her an ideal wife for a beautiful race of children.
The Nereids in ancient times symbolized everything that was beautiful and kind about the ocean. The Nereids melodious voices were known far and wide as they sang out with beauty, as they danced around Nereus, in celebration. Every one of the daughters were known by everyone to be extraordinarily beautiful women, and were frequently crowned with branches of red coral and dressed in white silk robes trimmed with gold; making them the ultimate standard of beauty.
In Folklore they were primarily linked to the Aegean Sea, where they were known to dwell with their father in the depths within his golden palace.
It is with great respect to Deiopea and her beauty that this composition is dedicated.
Primary data sourced: Wikipedia
