Aegaeon: The Hecatoncheires (or 'hundred-handed ones') were three giants of with 50 heads and 100 hands of terrifying size and strength. One of them was named Aegaeon (or Briareus, the sea goat). In one tale he aided the Gods in defeating the Titans, and due to his 'goodness', Poseidon even gave him one of his own daughters as a wife. However, in another he fought on the side of the Titans and was defeated by Poseidon. He dwelt in the ocean, and it was said that he was the God of sea storms, although I personally have not found any historical information to support this claim.
Amphitrite: Goddess Queen of the sea, and wife of Poseidon. She was a daughter of either Nereus (son of Gaia) and Doris (one of the 3,000 Oceanids), or of Oceanus and Tethys. They had a son named Triton, a merman, and it was also said that Amphitrite birthed dolphins, seals, and fierce sea monsters. She was often depicted on a throne with Poseidon in queenly robes, or being drawn through the seas in a chariot drawn by hippocamps and surrounded by other sea creatures.
Benthesikyme: A daughter of Poseidon and Amphitrite. She became foster mother to Eumolpus, one of Poseidon's illegitimate children.
Brizo: A Greek Goddess who protected sailors and fishermen. It is said that she was worshipped by the women of Delos would would set out offerings of food in small boats. It has also been theorized that there was a specific dance sailors at Delos would perform in honour of Brizo.
Ceto: Daughter of Pontus and Gaia, it has been suggested that her name means 'sea monster'. She gave birth to terrifyingly monstrous children through her liaisons with Phorcys (her brother). She had several other siblings; Nereus, Thaumus, and Eurybia. Herr offspring include the two Graiae, and the three Gorgons.
Glaucus: Glaucus is a sea God of fishermen. He himself was born a mortal fisherman, but when he discovered a magic herb which would bring fish back from the dead, he decided to eat it to see what effect it would have on himself. It made him immortal, but also caused him to grow fins in place of his arms, and a fish's tail in place of his legs. Luckily the sea deities Oceanus and Tethys were happy to take him in, where he became at home with the other deities of the sea, even learning the skill of prophecy from them.
In one tale, he falls in love with the beautiful nymph Scylla, but she is repulsed by his fish-like features. He visits the Goddess/witch Circe and asks her to make a potion which will make Scylla fall in love with him. However, Circe ends up falling in love with Glaucus and begs him to stay, but he would not renounce his love for Scylla. In a fit of jealousy Circe poisons the pool where Scylla bathes, which causes the nymph to turn into a hideous monster with twelve feet and six heads. Glaucus also fought with Dionysus for the affections of the Cretan Princess Ariadne, with Dionysus eventually winning.
Leucothea: There are several tales relating to the origin of Leucothea. In one, she was born mortal, originally named Ino and the Queen of Athamas. She agreed to care for the baby Dionysus, one of Zeus' illigitimate children, which greatly angered Hera. Hera drove her mad in revenge for her caring of the newborn, at which point she jumped into the sea with her own newborn in her arms. Taking pity on her, the Gods transformed them both into sea Gods, with Ino becoming known as Leucothea. In another version, she was originally a nymph named Halia, daughter of Thalassa and Pontus, who threw herself into the sea. She had a sanctuary in Laconia, where it was said that she would interpret people's dreams for them.
The Nereids: The Nereids were a group of 50 sea nymphs, the daughters of Nereus and Doris. They were said to be helpful to sailors, aiding them in their voyages, and were beautiful and kind. They were often depicted as beautiful, with crowns of coral, and golden robes beneath the sea. Whilst it is said that there were 50, different sources list different names, and altogether we have over 90 possible names for the individual nereids. However, some of the most well-known include Amphitrite (wife of Poseidon) and Thetis (mother of Achilles and said to be the leader of the nereids).
Nereus: The eldest son of Pontus and Gaia, father of the Nereids and Nerites, consort of Doris. He lived in the Aegean sea and was known as the 'Old Man of the Sea' (although he was not the only Greek sea God to go by this moniker). He was said to be a shapeshifter who had the power of prophecy, known for his truthfulness, gentleness, and virtue. Depictions of him show him with the tale of a fish, a carrying a 'staff of authority'.
Nerites: The son of Nereus, brother to the Nereids. In two different tales he is turned into a shellfish; in one by Aphrodite after he refuses her advances, and in another by Helios for unknown reasons. Before his transformation, he was also a lover of Poseidon, and Poseidon made him his charioteer. It was said that Nerites could drive the chariot so fast that all of the sea creatures would look on in awe.
The Oceanids: A group of 3,000 (or 'innumerable') daughters of Oceanus and Tethys, all considered to be water nymphs. They were associated with the seas, springs, and other water sources. Notable Oceanids include Metis (Zeus' first wife in some tales); Doris (the mother of the Nereids); Eurynome (said to be Zeus' third wife and mother of the Charities); Electra, wife of the sea God Thaumas and mother of the Harpies; and Perseis, wife of Helios and mother of Circe.
Oceanus: Son of Uranus and Gaia, husband and sister of Tethys, father of the Oceanids and the Potamoi (Gods of rivers and streams) of which there were said to be 3,000. In the Illiad, it is suggested that he is a primerval father deity, birthing the Gods with Tethys. He did not take part in the war between the Titans and the Olympians, and thus remained free after the Olympians had won the battle and imprisoned the remaining Titans. In one account, he actually fought on the side of the Olympians. He was said to ride a winged steed, and cautioned the imprisoned Prometheus to humble himself before Zeus to help lessen his punishment. In one depiction which details the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, he is shown as having the horns of a bull, with the body of a fish from the waist down, and carrying a snake in his left hand and a fish in his right hand.
Potamoi: The Gods of rivers and streams, the 3,000 sons of Oceanus and Tethys. Notable river Gods include Achelous (the God of the Achelous river, who was defeated by Heracles in a wrestling match for the hand of Deianira); Alpheus who pursued the Nymph Arethusa who was transformed into a spring by Artemis to escape his advances; and Inachus, the first king of Argos. They are often depicted in one of three ways; as a bull with the head of a man, as a man with bull horns and a fish's tale (similar to Oceanus), or as human looking.
Palaemon: Son of Ino, he was the infant she held in her arms when she threw herself into the sea after being driven mad by Hera. His human name was Melicertes, but he took on the name Palaemon when the Gods deified him and his mother (who became Leucoithea). He was another sea God that was said to aid distressed sailors.
Phorcys: Son of Pontus and Gaia, him and his consort Ceto were said to birth hideous mosters for children. He has been depicted with the tail of a fish, but with legs like crab claws and red, spiked skin.
Pontus: Primordial sea God, son of Gaia with no father (although according to Hyginus, he is the son of Gaia and Aether). He is the personification of the sea, who fathered Nereus, Thaumas, Phorcys, Ceto, and Eurybia. These he fathered with Gaia, and he also fathered the Telechines and all of the sea life with the sea Goddess Thalassa. One depiction shows him rising from the seaweed, grasping a rudder in his right hand as he leans on the prow of a ship, whilst wearing a mural crown. He was a patron deity of the Black Sea port of Tomis in Moesia (along with Fortuna).
Proteus: A son of Poseidon, he is a God of the sea, and also of rivers. He is another sea God who is sometimes referred to as the 'Old Man of the Sea'. It was said that he could also produce prophecies, but would shapeshift to avoid doing so, and would only prophesize for those who could catch him. He was also the herdsman of sea creatures and is often associated with seals, but was also said to have taken on the form of a lion, a leopard, a snake, a pig, and a tree.
Poseidon: Please see the entry on Poseidon here.
Sangarius: A river God, the son of Oceanus and Tethys.
Tethys: Daughter of Uranus and Gaia, sister and wife of Oceanus, mother of the Oceanids and Potamoi.
Thalassa: Primordial Goddess and personification of the sea. It is believed that she may have had some connection to the Mesopotamian primordial sea Goddess Tiamat. She is the mother of Aegaeon and Halia.
Thaumas: Sea God who was the son of Pontus and Gaia, husband of Electra, father to Iris, Arke, and the Harpies. His name is associated with 'wonder', and so he has also been called 'the wonder of the sea'.
Thoosa: A sea nymph, daughter of Phorcys. She fathered the Cyclops Polyphemus with Poseidon.
Triteia: Daughter of the sea God Triton, and a lover of Ares.
Triton: God of the sea and son of Poseidon and Amphitrite. He lived with his parents in their golden palace at the bottom of the sea, and is often depicted as a merman with a conch shell which he would blow like a horn. Sometimes he would carry a trident, like his father. He is often considered the messenger of Poseidon, and was considered to be dreadful and mighty. It has also been said that he was the foster father of the Goddess Athena. At some point during the Greco-Roman period, 'Triton' became a term which was used to refer to all mermen.
Amphitrite: Goddess Queen of the sea, and wife of Poseidon. She was a daughter of either Nereus (son of Gaia) and Doris (one of the 3,000 Oceanids), or of Oceanus and Tethys. They had a son named Triton, a merman, and it was also said that Amphitrite birthed dolphins, seals, and fierce sea monsters. She was often depicted on a throne with Poseidon in queenly robes, or being drawn through the seas in a chariot drawn by hippocamps and surrounded by other sea creatures.
Benthesikyme: A daughter of Poseidon and Amphitrite. She became foster mother to Eumolpus, one of Poseidon's illegitimate children.
Brizo: A Greek Goddess who protected sailors and fishermen. It is said that she was worshipped by the women of Delos would would set out offerings of food in small boats. It has also been theorized that there was a specific dance sailors at Delos would perform in honour of Brizo.
Ceto: Daughter of Pontus and Gaia, it has been suggested that her name means 'sea monster'. She gave birth to terrifyingly monstrous children through her liaisons with Phorcys (her brother). She had several other siblings; Nereus, Thaumus, and Eurybia. Herr offspring include the two Graiae, and the three Gorgons.
Glaucus: Glaucus is a sea God of fishermen. He himself was born a mortal fisherman, but when he discovered a magic herb which would bring fish back from the dead, he decided to eat it to see what effect it would have on himself. It made him immortal, but also caused him to grow fins in place of his arms, and a fish's tail in place of his legs. Luckily the sea deities Oceanus and Tethys were happy to take him in, where he became at home with the other deities of the sea, even learning the skill of prophecy from them.
In one tale, he falls in love with the beautiful nymph Scylla, but she is repulsed by his fish-like features. He visits the Goddess/witch Circe and asks her to make a potion which will make Scylla fall in love with him. However, Circe ends up falling in love with Glaucus and begs him to stay, but he would not renounce his love for Scylla. In a fit of jealousy Circe poisons the pool where Scylla bathes, which causes the nymph to turn into a hideous monster with twelve feet and six heads. Glaucus also fought with Dionysus for the affections of the Cretan Princess Ariadne, with Dionysus eventually winning.
Leucothea: There are several tales relating to the origin of Leucothea. In one, she was born mortal, originally named Ino and the Queen of Athamas. She agreed to care for the baby Dionysus, one of Zeus' illigitimate children, which greatly angered Hera. Hera drove her mad in revenge for her caring of the newborn, at which point she jumped into the sea with her own newborn in her arms. Taking pity on her, the Gods transformed them both into sea Gods, with Ino becoming known as Leucothea. In another version, she was originally a nymph named Halia, daughter of Thalassa and Pontus, who threw herself into the sea. She had a sanctuary in Laconia, where it was said that she would interpret people's dreams for them.
The Nereids: The Nereids were a group of 50 sea nymphs, the daughters of Nereus and Doris. They were said to be helpful to sailors, aiding them in their voyages, and were beautiful and kind. They were often depicted as beautiful, with crowns of coral, and golden robes beneath the sea. Whilst it is said that there were 50, different sources list different names, and altogether we have over 90 possible names for the individual nereids. However, some of the most well-known include Amphitrite (wife of Poseidon) and Thetis (mother of Achilles and said to be the leader of the nereids).
Nereus: The eldest son of Pontus and Gaia, father of the Nereids and Nerites, consort of Doris. He lived in the Aegean sea and was known as the 'Old Man of the Sea' (although he was not the only Greek sea God to go by this moniker). He was said to be a shapeshifter who had the power of prophecy, known for his truthfulness, gentleness, and virtue. Depictions of him show him with the tale of a fish, a carrying a 'staff of authority'.
Nerites: The son of Nereus, brother to the Nereids. In two different tales he is turned into a shellfish; in one by Aphrodite after he refuses her advances, and in another by Helios for unknown reasons. Before his transformation, he was also a lover of Poseidon, and Poseidon made him his charioteer. It was said that Nerites could drive the chariot so fast that all of the sea creatures would look on in awe.
The Oceanids: A group of 3,000 (or 'innumerable') daughters of Oceanus and Tethys, all considered to be water nymphs. They were associated with the seas, springs, and other water sources. Notable Oceanids include Metis (Zeus' first wife in some tales); Doris (the mother of the Nereids); Eurynome (said to be Zeus' third wife and mother of the Charities); Electra, wife of the sea God Thaumas and mother of the Harpies; and Perseis, wife of Helios and mother of Circe.
Oceanus: Son of Uranus and Gaia, husband and sister of Tethys, father of the Oceanids and the Potamoi (Gods of rivers and streams) of which there were said to be 3,000. In the Illiad, it is suggested that he is a primerval father deity, birthing the Gods with Tethys. He did not take part in the war between the Titans and the Olympians, and thus remained free after the Olympians had won the battle and imprisoned the remaining Titans. In one account, he actually fought on the side of the Olympians. He was said to ride a winged steed, and cautioned the imprisoned Prometheus to humble himself before Zeus to help lessen his punishment. In one depiction which details the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, he is shown as having the horns of a bull, with the body of a fish from the waist down, and carrying a snake in his left hand and a fish in his right hand.
Potamoi: The Gods of rivers and streams, the 3,000 sons of Oceanus and Tethys. Notable river Gods include Achelous (the God of the Achelous river, who was defeated by Heracles in a wrestling match for the hand of Deianira); Alpheus who pursued the Nymph Arethusa who was transformed into a spring by Artemis to escape his advances; and Inachus, the first king of Argos. They are often depicted in one of three ways; as a bull with the head of a man, as a man with bull horns and a fish's tale (similar to Oceanus), or as human looking.
Palaemon: Son of Ino, he was the infant she held in her arms when she threw herself into the sea after being driven mad by Hera. His human name was Melicertes, but he took on the name Palaemon when the Gods deified him and his mother (who became Leucoithea). He was another sea God that was said to aid distressed sailors.
Phorcys: Son of Pontus and Gaia, him and his consort Ceto were said to birth hideous mosters for children. He has been depicted with the tail of a fish, but with legs like crab claws and red, spiked skin.
Pontus: Primordial sea God, son of Gaia with no father (although according to Hyginus, he is the son of Gaia and Aether). He is the personification of the sea, who fathered Nereus, Thaumas, Phorcys, Ceto, and Eurybia. These he fathered with Gaia, and he also fathered the Telechines and all of the sea life with the sea Goddess Thalassa. One depiction shows him rising from the seaweed, grasping a rudder in his right hand as he leans on the prow of a ship, whilst wearing a mural crown. He was a patron deity of the Black Sea port of Tomis in Moesia (along with Fortuna).
Proteus: A son of Poseidon, he is a God of the sea, and also of rivers. He is another sea God who is sometimes referred to as the 'Old Man of the Sea'. It was said that he could also produce prophecies, but would shapeshift to avoid doing so, and would only prophesize for those who could catch him. He was also the herdsman of sea creatures and is often associated with seals, but was also said to have taken on the form of a lion, a leopard, a snake, a pig, and a tree.
Poseidon: Please see the entry on Poseidon here.
Sangarius: A river God, the son of Oceanus and Tethys.
Tethys: Daughter of Uranus and Gaia, sister and wife of Oceanus, mother of the Oceanids and Potamoi.
Thalassa: Primordial Goddess and personification of the sea. It is believed that she may have had some connection to the Mesopotamian primordial sea Goddess Tiamat. She is the mother of Aegaeon and Halia.
Thaumas: Sea God who was the son of Pontus and Gaia, husband of Electra, father to Iris, Arke, and the Harpies. His name is associated with 'wonder', and so he has also been called 'the wonder of the sea'.
Thoosa: A sea nymph, daughter of Phorcys. She fathered the Cyclops Polyphemus with Poseidon.
Triteia: Daughter of the sea God Triton, and a lover of Ares.
Triton: God of the sea and son of Poseidon and Amphitrite. He lived with his parents in their golden palace at the bottom of the sea, and is often depicted as a merman with a conch shell which he would blow like a horn. Sometimes he would carry a trident, like his father. He is often considered the messenger of Poseidon, and was considered to be dreadful and mighty. It has also been said that he was the foster father of the Goddess Athena. At some point during the Greco-Roman period, 'Triton' became a term which was used to refer to all mermen.
