Phorcys, the Old Man of the Sea

The Old Man of the Sea was a primordial deity in Greek mythology, and was the personification of the sea. He was identified as one of various sea deities, such as Nereus, Proteus, Pontus, and Phorcys. He had a daughter, Thetis, the mother of the hero Achilles.

He appeared in the Homeric poem Odyssey, when Menelaus had to find him to get advice for how to return home. The Old Man of the Sea was able to change form and thus, it was difficult to be captured; Menelaus eventually captured him and asked him various questions for how to go back home.

The Origins of Phorcys
There are some disputes regarding Phorcys’ lineage. Hesiod is one of the most famous sources of immortal ancestry. The Greek poet created family trees for the gods that most scholars still rely on today.

In “Theogony,” Hesiod states that Phorcys comes from GAIA and PONTUS. Gaia is the representation of the Earth. Meanwhile, Pontus was an ancient primordial sea god. Interestingly enough, Pontus came from Gaia without a father. Technically speaking, Gaia’s not only his consort but also his mother.

Pontus and Gaia gave birth to many children. All of them had some connection to the ocean, making them sea gods. Phorcys’ siblings include EURYBIA, NEREUS, Thaumas, and CETO.

Finally, there’s Nereus. Nereus is the god of sea wisdom. Some accounts say that Nereus and Phorcys were one and the same, filling the “old man of the sea” role. However, some scholars also say that they were two separate entities.

Regardless, Phorcys and his siblings ruled the seas in early Greek mythology long before Poseidon and other immortals came into existence.

Depictions of Phorcys
Phorcys has plenty of unique depictions throughout ancient Greek and Roman history.