The Nesoi (Greek "islands"), in ancient Greek religion, were the goddesses of islands. Each island was said to have its own personification. They were classified as one of the ancient elemental Greek primordial deities. According to

Callimachus Callimachus (; ) was an ancient Greek poet, scholar and librarian who was active in Alexandria during the 3rd century BC. A representative of Ancient Greek literature of the Hellenistic period, he wrote over 800 literary works in a wide varie ...

, the Nesoi were thought to have been

Ourea In Greek mythology, the Ourea ( grc, Οὔρεα, Oúrea, mountains, plural of ) were the parthenogenetic offspring of Gaia (Earth), produced alongside Uranus (Sky), and Pontus (Sea).Hardp. 24 Gantz, p. 10; Caldwellp. 5, table 3 Poseidon Poseidon (; grc-gre, Ποσειδῶν) was one of the Twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and myth, god of the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 In pre-Olympian Bronze Age Greece, he was venerated as a ...

's rages.Callimachus, Hymns 4 to delos, "But none need grudge that she be named among the first, whensoever unto Okeanos (Oceanus) and unto Titanide (Titaness) Tethys the islands gather and she

elos Elos ( el, Έλος, before 1930: Δουραλί - ''Dourali'') is a village and a former municipality in Laconia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Evrotas, of which it is a municipal unit. ...

ever leads the way. Behind her footsteps follow Phoinikian Kyrnos (Phoenician Cyrnus), no mean isle, and Abantian Makris (Macris) of the Ellopians, and delectable Sardo, and the isle whereto Kypris (Cypris) phroditefirst swam from the water ypros (Cyprus)and which for fee of her landing she keeps safe. They are strong by reason of sheltering towers, but Delos is strong by aid of Apollon. What defence is there more steadfast? Walls and stones may fall before the blast of Strymonian Boreas; but a god is unshaken for ever. Delos beloved, such is the champion that encompasses thee about! . . . The tale how at the very first the mighty god oseidonsmote the Mountains (Ourea) with the three-forked sword which the Telkhines (Telchines) fashioned for him, and wrought the islands in the sea, and from their lowest foundations lifted them all as with a lever and rolled them into the sea? And them in the depths he rooted from their foundations that they might forget the mainland. But no constraint afflicted thee he Island of Delos but free upon the open sea thou didst float; and thy name of old was Asterie (Asteria), since like a star thou didst leap from heaven into the deep moat, fleeing wedlock with Zeus."

References

Greek goddesses Greek primordial deities {{Greek-deity-stub