5 Nereus and Proteus
Of all the small sea divinities Nereus and Proteus stood out as Peculiar sea-gods. —
Nereus,known as“the Old Man of the sea”,represented the pleasant aspect of ocean waters. —
He lived beneath the sea with his fifty lovely daughters,of whom the most famous were Amphritrite,Thetis,Galate a and Panope. —
It was Nereus who advised Heracles to seek Prometheus in the hero’s search of the golden apples.
Proteus was Poseidon’s herdsman. He was well known for two qualities: —
the gift of prophecy and the power to take various forms. —
At one time he was a lion with a curly wavy hairs; —
at another he appeared in the shape of a wild boar; —
and still another he stood a stately tree covered with rich leaves. —
When,after all these and many other changes,he failed to get rid of his questioner, the god offered detailed answers.