In Greek mythology, Oceanus is considered the father of the sea.
Oceanus: The Titan God of the World-Ocean
Oceanus was one of the Titans, the elder gods who preceded the Olympians. He was the personification of the great world-ocean, a vast river believed to encircle the Earth. He wasn't necessarily a "father" in the biological sense to all sea creatures but more like the source and embodiment of the sea itself.
Key Aspects of Oceanus:
- Titan God: He belonged to the first generation of Titans, children of Uranus (sky) and Gaia (earth).
- The World-Ocean: He represented the immense river that the Greeks believed circled the world.
- Husband of Tethys: Oceanus was married to his sister, Tethys, who was the Titan goddess of the sources of fresh water.
- Father of Oceanids and Potamoi: Together, Oceanus and Tethys were the parents of the 3,000 Oceanids (sea nymphs) and the 3,000 Potamoi (river gods).
Oceanus vs. Poseidon
It's important to distinguish Oceanus from Poseidon. While Oceanus was the original Titan god of the seas, Poseidon, an Olympian god, eventually took over as the ruler and god of the sea, earthquakes, and horses. Think of Oceanus as the primordial, all-encompassing essence of the sea, and Poseidon as the later, more anthropomorphic, ruling deity of the sea. Oceanus is more like the idea of the sea, whereas Poseidon is the ruler of the sea.
In summary, while Poseidon is the more commonly known god of the sea, Oceanus is considered the original father or embodiment of the sea in Greek mythology.
