Of the Classical writers, the first and perhaps only poet to reference alseids is Homer.
The three uses of alsea by Homer are as follows: "The nymphs who live in the lovely groves (ἄλσεα, álsea), and the springs of rivers (πηγαὶ ποταμῶν, pēgaì potamôn) and the grassy meadows (πίσεα ποιήεντα, písea poiḗenta).
"[1] "They [nymphs] come from springs (krênai), they come from groves (alsea), they come from the sacred rivers (ποταμοί, potamoí) flowing seawards.
"The nymphs [of Mount Ida] who haunt the pleasant woods (alsea), or of those who inhabit this lovely mountain (ὄρος, óros) and the springs of rivers (pegai potamon) and grassy meads (pisea).
"[3] This article relating to a Greek deity is a stub.