Old Man of the Sea

Halios geron (Greek ἅλιος γέρων, sea old man ) is an ancient sea god of Greek mythology.

Myth

Originally, the sea old man was not wearing a proper name, but was identified early with Nereus, Proteus, Glaucus Phorkys or because he is an old man like this and has the skills to prophesy, and the ability to transform. In Homer he is known as an old father of Thetis and the Nereids, but also appears as the epithet of Proteus and Phorkys. Hesiod puts him first with Nereus same, later literary evidence of this identification can be found in a scholium to Pindar and Cornutus. When Dionysius Byzantios he is the father of the Byzantine nymph Semistra, the nurse of Ios daughter Keroessa.

Bernhard Schmidt reports from the afterlife of Halios geron in Greek folk beliefs of the 19th century.

Cult

After Dionysius Byzantios was a sanctuary of Halios geron, which was identified with Nereus, Proteus Phorkys or on a hill in Byzantium. The sanctuary is a state cult was connected, which had been set up because of a dream appearance. The Iberians revered Glaucus under the name γέρων and Pausanias tells of a cult in Gythion, where he was identified with Nereus.

Representation

There are only get two representations that are clearly assigned to him by inscriptions. On one found in Olympia Argive bronze relief he is fischleibig shown in battle with Herakles, so in one aspect of which is iconographically attributable Triton. Above his head are as attributes of the Transfiguration flames and a snake, which are normally only found in depictions of anthropomorphic Nereus. On an Attic wine jug potter kolkhoz he comes as human viewers in the fight of Heracles with Cycnus.