Nereus　and　Proteus纳鲁斯和普鲁吐斯

NereusandProteus

OfallthesmallseadivinitiesNereusandProteusstoodoutasPeculiarsea-gods.Nereus,knownas“theOldManofthesea”,representedthepleasantaspectofoceanwaters.Helivedbeneaththeseawithhisfiftylovelydaughters,ofwhomthemostfamouswereAmphritrite,Thetis,GalateaandPanope.ItwasNereuswhoadvisedHeraclestoseekPrometheusinthehero’ssearchofthegoldenapples.

ProteuswasPoseidon’sherdsman.Hewaswellknownfortwoqualities:thegiftofprophecyandthepowertotakevariousforms.Atonetimehewasalionwithacurlywavyhairs;atanotherheappearedintheshapeofawildboar;andstillanotherhestoodastatelytreecoveredwithrichleaves.When,afteralltheseandmanyotherchanges,hefailedtogetridofhisquestioner,thegodoffereddetailedanswers.

纳鲁斯和普鲁吐斯

在所有的小海神中,纳鲁斯和普鲁吐斯异常独特.纳鲁斯是人们熟知的“海中的老人”.他代表了海水友善的一面.他和50个可爱的女儿一起生活在海中.她们当中最着名的有;安菲瑞垂托、塞提丝、盖拉蒂和潘诺珀.在勇敢地寻觅金苹果的时候,纳鲁斯建议赫格立斯寻找普罗米修斯.

普鲁吐斯是波塞冬的牧羊人.他有两种非凡的能力:他能预言,他还能够变成不同的动物.有时他是一头狮子,有着波浪般的卷发.有时他是一头凶猛的野猪.而有时他又是一棵枝叶繁茂、外表威严的大树.经过这些变化之后,当他无法摆脱询问者时,神就替他作出详尽的回答.