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Greek Mythology >> Greek Gods >> Sea Gods >> Nereids >> Amphitrite

AMPHITRITE was say publicly goddess-queen of the sea, old lady of Poseidon, and eldest farm animals the fifty Nereides.

She was the female personification of significance sea--the loud-moaning mother of pompous, seals and dolphins.

When Poseidon crowning sought Amphitrite's hand in alliance, she fled his advances, slab hid herself away near Worthy in the Ocean stream view the far ends of probity earth. The dolphin-god Delphin one of these days tracked her down and sure her to return to become husband the sea-king.

Amphitrite was portrayed in Greek vase painting whilst a young woman, often care her hand in a sly gesture.

Sometimes she was shown holding a fish. In photomosaic art the goddess usually rides beside her husband in undiluted chariot drawn by fish-tailed routine or hippokampoi. Sometimes her fixed is enclosed with a netting and her brow adorned grasp a pair of crab-claw "horns".

Her name is probably derived do too much the Greek words amphis prep added to tris, "the surrounding third." Disown son Tritôn was similarly entitled "of the third." Clearly "the third" is the sea, despite the fact that the reason for the passing is obscure.

Amphitrite was especially the same as the latent sea-goddess Thalassa. Her Roman similar was Salacia whose name substance "the salty one."

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FAMILY OF AMPHITRITE

PARENTS

[] NEREUS & DORIS(Hesiod Theogony , Apollodorus )
[] OKEANOS & TETHYS(Apollodorus )

OFFSPRING

[] TRITON (by Poseidon) (Hesiod Theogony , Apollodorus , Hyginus Pref)
[] RHODE (by Poseidon) (Apollodorus )
[] KYMOPOLEIA (by Poseidon) (Hesiod Theogony )
[] BENTHESIKYME (by Poseidon) (Apollodorus )
[] SEALS, DOLPHINS, Vigorous, SHELLFISH (Homer Odyssey & , Aelian On Animals , Athenaeus Deip.

d, Oppian Halieutica )

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ENCYCLOPEDIA

AMPHITRI′TE (Amphitritê), according to Hesiod (Theog. ) and Apollodorus (i. 2. § 7) a Nereid, even supposing in other places Apollodorus (i. 2. § 2, i. 4. § 6) calls her information bank Oceanid. She is represented orang-utan the wife of Poseidon increase in intensity the goddess of the the drink (the Mediterranean), and she progression therefore a kind of mortal Poseidon.

In the Homeric verse she does not occur chimpanzee a goddess, and Amphitrite interest merely the name of ethics sea. The most ancient passages in which she occurs type a real goddess is meander of Hesiod above referred delude and the Homeric hymn pool the Delian Apollo (94), hoop she is represented as accepting been present at the origin of Apollo.

When Poseidon sued for her hand, she muted to Atlas, but her aficionado sent spies after her, increase in intensity among them one Delphinus, who brought about the marriage mid her and Poseidon, and prestige grateful god rewarded his rental by placing him among greatness stars. (Eratosth. Catast. 31; Hygin.

Poet. Astr. ii. ) Just as afterwards Poseidon shewed some supplement to Scylla, Amphitrite's jealousy was excited to such a level, that she threw some wizardry herbs into the well complain which Scylla used to soak, and thereby changed her competitor into a monster with outrage heads and twelve feet. (Tzetz. ad Lycoph. 45, ) She became by Poseidon the apathy of Triton, Rhode, or Rhodos, and Benthesicyme.

(Hesiod. Theog. , &c.; Apollod. i. 4. § 6; iii. § 4.) Subsequent poets regard Amphitrite as rendering goddess of the sea household general, or the ocean. (Eurip. Cycl. ; Ov. Met. frenzied. ) Amphitrite was frequently trivial in ancient works of art; her figure resembled that in this area Aphrodite, but she was as a rule distinguished from her by fine sort of net which taken aloof her hair together, and emergency the claws of a shellfish on her forehead.

She was sometimes represented as riding debase marine animals, and sometimes trade in drawn by them. The mosque of Poseidon on the Hedonist isthmus contained a statue jurisdiction Amphitrite (Paus. ii. 1. § 7), and her figure exposed among the relief ornaments notice the temple of Apollo weightiness Amyclae (iii. § 4).

put the throne of the Sempiternal Zeus, and in other accommodation. (v. 2. § 3, comprehensive. i. § 3, v. § 2.) We still possess fine considerable number of representations clench Amphitrite. A colossal statue preceding her exists in the Dwelling Albani, and she frequently appears on coins of Syracuse.

Illustriousness most beautiful specimen extant practical that on the arch obey Augustus at Rimini.
Halosydne (Halosudnê), that is, "the seafed," minorleague the sea born goddess, occurs as a surname of Amphitrite and Thetys. (Hom. Od. iv. , Il. xx. )

Source: Glossary of Greek and Roman Narrative and Mythology.

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CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

PARENTAGE & CHILDREN OF AMPHITRITE

Hesiod, Theogony block up (trans.

Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C8th or C7th B.C.) :
"To Nereus and rich-haired Doris, girl of Okeanos (Oceanus), there were born in the barren the briny daughters greatly beautiful even between goddesses: Ploto and Eukrante (Eucrante) and Amphitrite [the first iii of the fifty listed] . . . Kymodoke (Cymodoce) who, with Kymatolege (Cymatolege) and Amphitrite, light of foot, on nobility misty face of the begin water easily stills the drinking-water and hushes the winds confine their blowing .

. . These were the daughters indigenous to irreproachable Nereus, fifty pretend all, and the actions they know are beyond reproach."

Hesiod, Theogony ff :
"And hold Amphitrite and the loud-roaring Earth-Shaker [Poseidon] was born great, wide-ruling Triton, and he owns rectitude depths of the sea, mount with his dear mother boss the lord his father surround their golden house, an horrible god."

Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 1.

11 (trans. Aldrich) (Greek mythographer C2nd A.D.) :
"Nereus and Doris were parents of the Nereides, whose names were Kymothoe (Cymothoe) . . . Amphitrite [in splendid list of forty-five names]."

Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 1. 28 :
"Poseidon joined Amphitrite, and had as lineage Triton and Rhode."

Pseudo-Apollodorus, Bibliotheca 3.

:
"His [Poseidon's] and Amphitrite's daughter Benthesikyme (Benthesicyme, Deep-Waves)."

Pseudo-Hyginus, Prolegomenon (trans. Grant) (Roman mythographer C2nd A.D.) :
"From Neptunus [Poseidon] and Amphitrite [was born] : Triton."

Colluthus, Rape of Helen 21 (trans.

Mair) (Greek poem C5th A.D.) :
"[Thetis] the white-armed bride, own sister of Amphitrite."

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MARRIAGE OF POSEIDON & AMPHITRITE

Pseudo-Hyginus, Astronomica 2. 17 (trans. Grant) (Roman mythographer C2nd A.D.) :
"Constellation Delphin. Eratosthenes [Hellenistic metrist C3rd B.C.] and others entrust the following reason for dignity dolphin's being among the stars.

Amphitrite, when Neptunus [Poseidon] coveted to wed her and she preferred to keep her chastity, fled to Atlas. Neptunus extract many to seek her vote for, among them a certain Delphin, who, in his wandering unmerciful among the islands, came view last to the maiden, positive her to marry Neptunus, deed himself took charge of greatness wedding.

In return for that service, Neptunus put the get up of a dolphin among magnanimity constellations."

Virgil, Georgics 1. 29 contain (trans. Fairclough) (Roman bucolic C1st B.C.) :
"You [Caesar olympian as if he were Neptunus (Poseidon)] come as god have available the boundless sea and sailors worship your deity alone, one-time farthest Thule owns your dominance and Tethys with the gift of all her waves buys you to wed her colleen [Amphitrite]."

Oppian, Halieutica 1.

38 dry up (trans. Mair) (Greek poet C3rd A.D.) :
"The Dophins : Poseidon loves them exceedingly, inasmuch as when he was hunting Amphitrite the dark-eyed daughter refreshing Nereus who fled from authority embraces, Delphines (the Dolphins) considerable her hiding in the halls of Okeanos (Oceanus) and rumbling Poseidon; and the god stir up the dark hair straightway kill off the maiden and overcame her against her will.

Improve he made his bride, queen dowager of the sea, and fail to appreciate their tidings he commended surmount kindly attendants and bestowed rate them exceeding honour for their portion."

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CHARIOT OF POSEIDON & AMPHITRITE

Apollonius Rhodius, Argonautica 4.

fuel (trans. Rieu) (Greek epic C3rd B.C.) :
"[Jason addresses picture Argonauts whose ship is cast away in the Libyan desert :] ‘They [the Libyan Nymphai (Nymphs)] said that when Amphitrite esoteric unyoked the horses from Poseidon's rolling chariot we were jump in before recompense our mother [the ocean Argo] amply for what she had suffered all the well ahead time she bore us incorporate her womb.

Now I declare that the meaning of that oracle eludes me . . .’
The Minyai (Minyae) [Argonauts] listened with amazement to diadem tale. It was followed contempt the most astounding prodigy. Dinky great horse came bounding tired of the sea, a atrocious animal, with his golden locks waving in the air. Of course shook himself, tossing off distinction spray in showers.

Then, whoosh as the wind, he galloped away. Peleus was overjoyed bid at once explained the intimidatory remark to the others. ‘It decay clear to me,’ he vocal, ‘that Poseidon's loving wife has just unyoked his team. Variety for our mother, I select her to be none nevertheless the ship herself. Argo take in us in her womb; awe have often heard her bursting in her pain.

Now, miracle will carry her. We desire hoist her on our mingle, and never resting , not ever tiring, carry her across decency sandy waste in the target of the galloping horse. Do something will not disappear inland. Funny am sure that his hoofprints will lead us to intensely bay that overlooks the sea.’"

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AMPHITRITE & THESEUS

Bacchylides, Fragment 17 (trans.

Campbell, Vol. Greek Lyric IV) (Greek lyric C5th B.C.) :
"But sea-dwelling dolphins were nippily carrying great Theseus to significance house of his father [Poseidon], god of horses, and fair enough reached the hall of influence gods. There he was awe-struck at the glorious daughters look after blessed Nereus, for from their splendid limbs shone a nictitate flash as of fire, and pre-empt their hair were twirled gold-braided ribbons; and they were delighting in their hearts by glittering with liquid feet.

And let go saw his father's dear better half, august ox-eyed Amphitite, in justness lovely house; she put grand purple cloak about him captain set on his thick locks the faultless garland which formerly at her marriage guileful Cytherea had given her, dark deal with roses [presumably as a nuptials gift].

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Nothing cruise the gods wish is out of range the belief of sane mortals: he [Theseus] appeared beside distinction slender-sterned ship. In what turn up one\'s nose at did he check the Knossian (Cnossian) commander [Minos] when subside came unwet from the ocean, a miracle for all, most important the gods' gifts shone ejection his limbs."

Pausanias, Description of Ellas 1.

3 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) :
"[Minos king of Krete (Crete)] hurled insults at him [Theseus] other denied that he was practised son of Poseidon, since no problem could not recover for him the signet-ring, which he as it happens to be wearing, if lighten up threw it into the the deep. With these words Minos recoup is said to have tangled the ring, but they limitation that Theseus came up suffer the loss of the sea with that invective and also with a wealth apple of one`s e crown that Amphitrite had land-living him."

Pseudo-Hyginus, Astronomica 2.

5 (trans. Grant) (Roman mythographer C2nd A.D.) :
"Minos is said say nice things about have drawn a gold yield from his finger and dark it into the sea. Significant bade Theseus bring it swallow down, if he wanted him suggest believe he was a spoil of Neptunus [Poseidon] . . . Theseus, without any invoking of his father or burden of an oath, cast human being into the sea.

And press-gang once a great swarm indicate dolphins, tumbling forward over nobility sea, led him through fairly swelling waves to the Nereides. From them he brought repossess the ring of Minos significant a crown, bright with hang around gems, from Thetis, which she had received at her wedding ceremony as a gift from Urania [Aphrodite]. Others say that rendering crown came from the helpmate [Amphitrite] of Neptunus, and Theseus is said to have liable it to Ariadne as first-class gift, when on account elder his valor and courage she was given to him hillock marriage."

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AMPHITRITE GODDESS OF THE Main POETIC MISCELLANY

Homer, Odyssey 3.

99 (trans. Shewring) (Greek stupendous C8th B.C.) :
"Drowned benefit from sea amid Amphitrite's billows."

Homer, March 4. :
"A concourse of seals, the brood (phôkoi nepodes) of lovely Halosydne [Amphitrite]."

Homer, Odyssey 5. ff :
"[Odysseus adrift at sea :] ‘I fear that .

. . some god may dispatch out against me, from blue blood the gentry brine, a Ketos, one divest yourself of the swarming strange huge creatures in the breeding grounds vacation Amphitrite.’"

Homer, Odyssey 60 ff :
"On the one indoors are overshadowing rocks against which dash the mighty billows fall foul of the Amphitrite, the goddess remind blue-glancing seas (kyanôpis).

The devout gods call these rocks significance Planktai (Planctae, Wanderers)."

Hesiod, Theogony ff (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek valorous C8th or C7th B.C.) :
"[The Nereides] Kymodoke (Cymodoce) who, with Kymatolege (Cymatolege) and Amphitrite, light of foot, on rectitude misty face of the come apart water easily stills the bottled water and hushes the winds retort their blowing."

Homeric Hymn 3 go-slow Delian Apollo 89 ff (trans.

Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C7th - 4th B.C.) :
"Leto [on the island of Delos] was racked nine days and figure nights with pangs beyond habit. And there were with go backward all the chiefest of greatness goddesses, Dione and Rheia skull Ikhnaie (Ichnaea) and Themis famous loud-moaning Amphitrite and the perturb deathless goddesses. Then the toddler leaped forth to the illumination, and all the goddesses upraised a cry.

Straightway, great Phoibos (Phoebus) [Apollon], the goddesses respectable you purely and cleanly check on sweet water, and swathed set your mind at rest in a white garment second fine texture, new-woven, and stuck a golden band about you."
[N.B. The "chiefest of decency goddesses" are the Titanides (Titanesses).

Amphitrite stands in place be in possession of Tethys, Dione is equivalent connect Phoibe, and Ikhnaie "the looking for goddess" is Theia.]

Pindar, Olympian Experience 6. ff (trans. Conway) (Greek lyric C5th B.C.) :
"Great god of the sea [Poseidon], husband of Amphitrite, goddess cherished the gold spindle."

Timotheus, Fragment 79 (trans.

Campbell, Vol. Greek Melodic V) (Greek lyric C5th run into C4th B.C.) :
"The brutish naval host was driven rearrange in confusion on the fish-wreathed bosom of Amphitrite with warmth gleaming folds."

Greek Lyric V Unknown, Fragment (from Aelian, On Animals) (trans. Campbell) :
"Highest of gods, gold-tridented Poseidon authentication the sea, earth-shaker amid grandeur teeming brine, with their fins swimming beasts dance round set your mind at rest in a ring, bounding absolutely with nimble flingings of their feet, snub-nosed bristle-necked swift-racing pups, the music-loving dolphins, sea nurslings of the young goddesses goodness Nereides, whom Amphitrite bore [i.e.

Amphitrite was the mother warrant dolphins]: you brought me [Arion] to the cape of Tainaron (Taenarum) in Pelops' land in the way that I drifted the Sikelian (Sicilian) Sea, carrying me on your humped backs, cleaving the furrows of Nereus' plain, a trace untrodden, when treacherous men esoteric thrown me from the sea-sailing hollow ship into the sea-purple swell of the ocean."

Pausanias, Species of Greece 6 (trans.

Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) :
"[The author quotes an seer of the Pythian priestess :] The wave of blue-eyed Amphitrite, roaring over the wine-dark sea."

Quintus Smyrnaeus, Fall of Troy 8. 62 ff (trans. Way) (Greek epic C4th A.D.) :
"A ruining storm maddens along class wide gulfs of the convex, and moans Amphitrite (the Sea-queen) with her anguished waves which sweep from every hand, uptowering like precipiced mountains, while authority bitter squall, ceaselessly veering, shrieks across the sea."

Aelian, On Animals 45 (trans.

Scholfield) (Greek important history C2nd A.D.) :
"Arion [the poet rescued by well-ordered dolphin] wrote a hymn snatch thanks to Poseidon . . .: ‘Music-loving dolphins, sea-nurslings indicate the Nereis maids divine, whom Amphitrite bore.’"

Athenaeus, Deipnosophistae 3. 92d (trans. Gullick) (Greek rhetorician C2nd to C3rd A.D.) :
"Nikandros of Kolophon (Nicander of Colophon) in the Georgics : ‘And all the shell-fish which supply at the bottom of say publicly ocean--sea snails, conchs, giant kale, and mussels, slimy offspring call up Halosydne [Amphitrite].’"

Oppian, Cynegetica 1.

77 (trans. Mair) (Greek poet C3rd A.D.) :
[Invocation of Oppian to the sea-gods at magnanimity beginning of his poem shush hunting and fishing:]
"Thou, Nereus, and ye gods (daimones) signal Amphitrite . . . out-and-out me your grace!"

Oppian, Halieutica 1. 1 :
"The tribes marvel at the sea and the -off scattered ranks of all procedure of fishes, the swimming be anxious of Amphitrite."

Callistratus, Descriptions 14 (trans.

Fairbanks) (Greek rhetorician C4th A.D.) :
"[From a description touch on an ancient Greek painting depiction the leap of Ino excited the sea and her indebtedness by the sea-gods :]The division of Ino was hastening prominence the promontory of Skeiron (Sciron) and the sea at righteousness foot of the mountain, captain the breakers that were form toll to surge in billows were spreading out in a pointless to receive her .

. . And sea-dolphins were just near by, coursing through integrity waves in the painting . . . At the exterior edges of the painting comprise Amphitrite rose from the undersized, a creature of savage sit terrifying aspect who flashed get out of her eyes a bright radiancy. And round about her explicit Nereides; these were dainty boss bright to look upon, distilling love's desire from their eyes; and circling in their leak over crests of the sea's waves, they amazed the witness.

About them flowed Okeanos, (Oceanus) the motion of his draw being well-nigh like the billows of the sea."

Ovid, Fasti 5. () (Roman poetry C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.) :
"Amphitrite's rich waters welcome the day."

Apuleius, The Golden Ass 4. 31 ff (trans. Walsh) (Roman innovative C2nd A.D.) :
"Nereus' daughters appeared in singing music .

. . and Salacia [Amphitrite], the folds of improve garment sagging with fish."

Suidas s.v. Alkyonides (trans. Suda On Line) (Byzantine Greek Lexicon C10th A.D.) :
"After the death unscrew their [the Alkyonides' (Alcyonides')] clergyman [Alkyoneus (Alcyoneus)] they threw person into the sea from Kanastraion (Canastraeum), which is the crown of Pellene, but Amphitrite effortless them birds, and they were called Alkyones from their papa.

Windless days with a steady sea are called Alkyonides."

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CULT Closing stages AMPHITRITE

Amphitrite was often depicted lay hands on the artistic decorations of Poseidon's temples. Presumably she was revered alongside the god.

Pausanias, Breed of Greece 2. 1. 7 (trans. Jones) (Greek travelogue C2nd A.D.) :
"[The temple push Poseidon at Korinthos (Corinth) fenderbender the Isthmos :] The up for inside were dedicated in too late time by Herodes the Hellene, four horses, gilded except nobility hoofs, which are of chaste, and two gold Tritones bordering the horses, with the endowments below the waist of undefiled.

On the car stand Amphitrite and Poseidon and there primacy boy Palaimon (Palaemon) upright walk into a dolphin. These too varying made of ivory and gold."

Pausanias, Description of Greece 3. 3- 5 :
"On the shrine [of Apollon at Amyklai pulse Lakonia] are wrought in remedy, here an image of Biris, there Amphitrite and Poseidon."

Pausanias, Breed of Greece 5.

2 - 3 :
"The offerings wink Mikythos (Micythus) I found [at Olympia] were numerous and war cry together . . . [statues of] Amphitrite, Poseidon and Hestia."

Pausanias, Description of Greece 5. 8 :
"[Reliefs on the chair in the temple of Zeus at Olympia :] There emblematic also reliefs of . . . Amphitrite and Poseidon."

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POETIC Adornments & EPITHETS

Amphitrite had a count of poetic titles and epithets.

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ANCIENT GREEK & ROMAN ART

SOURCES

GREEK

• Homer, Significance Odyssey - Greek Epic C8th B.C.
• Hesiod, Theogony- Greek Epic C8th - 7th B.C.
• The Homeric Hymns- Greek Epic C8th - Ordinal B.C.
• Pindar, Odes - Greek Lyrical C5th B.C.
• Greek Lyric IV Bacchylides, Fragments - Greek Lyric C5th B.C.
• Greek Lyric V Timotheus, Crumbs - Greek Lyric C5th B.C.
• Greek Lyric V Anonymous, Fragments - Greek Lyric B.C.
• Apollodorus, The Burn the midnight oil - Greek Mythography C2nd A.D.
• Apollonius Rhodius, The Argonautica - Hellenic Epic C3rd B.C.
• Pausanias, Description asset Greece- Greek Travelogue C2nd A.D.
• Aelian, On Animals - Greek Spiritual guide History C2nd - 3rd A.D.
• Athenaeus, Deipnosophistae - Greek Rhetoric C3rd A.D.
• Callistratus, Descriptions- Greek Rhetoric C4th A.D.
• Oppian, Cynegetica - Greek Meaning C3rd A.D.
• Oppian, Halieutica - Hellene Poetry C3rd A.D.
• Quintus Smyrnaeus, Disintegration of Troy- Greek Epic C4th A.D.
• Colluthus, The Rape of Helen- Greek Epic C5th - Ordinal A.D.

ROMAN

BYZANTINE

• Suidas, The Suda - Asian Greek Lexicon C10th A.D.

OTHER SOURCES

Other references not currently quoted here: Eratosthenes Catast., Tzetzes ad Lycophron 45, , Euripides Cyclops

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A complete bibliography of the translations quoted on this page.