They seemed to be friendly and gentle with the gods and nymphs of the sea, but could be menacing monsters as well. The cetea were servants of the sea-gods, particularly Poseidon. While some images are more fish-like, many resemble dragons from other cultures. They were usually shown as massive, serpentine creatures with rows of sharp teeth. These sea monsters played a major role in many well-known myths. Some of the most famous legendary water creatures of Greek mythology were the cetea. He claimed that Aphros and Bythos were revered in Syria where they were honored by the local equivalent of Aphrodite/Venus for their care of her when she was born in the sea. One Roman mythographer indicated that the ichthyocentaurs may have been inspired by foreign sea-gods. They are sometimes associated with Aphrodite, which may have given Aphros his name, and may have been thought of as her teachers similar to the way the centaur Chiron was portrayed in the myths of other gods. Little is known of these two gods outside of what can be gleaned from images of them. They are identified as Aphros and Bythos, the gods of the sea foam and the depths. Many times, the ichthyocentaurs were shown with horns or crowns that resembled lobster claws as well. The shape is similar to the wings often shown on other legendary water creatures and is thought to be based on seaweed or fins. On the Pergamon Altar, the earliest known representation of the creatures, the ichthyocentaur is shown with wings as well. Like traditional centaurs, they also had a human torso, arms, and head. The ichthyocentaurs had the same fish tails and equine legs as the hippocampi. While the term was not used until the 12th century, images of these creatures appeared from at least the 2nd century BC. The word ichthyocentaur was not used by Greek writers, although it comes from their language. The IchthyocentaursĬlosely related to the hippocampi were the ichthyocentaurs, or fish-centaurs. The aigicampus, which was half-goat and half-fish, provided the basis for the constellation Capricorn. Underwater versions of many animals were imagined, including bulls, lions, leopards, and even elephants. The hippocampi were the most well-known and frequently represented hybrid water creatures, but an entire world of legendary animals was thought to mimic the environment of the land. They pull chariots and act as mounts for sea gods and nymphs. In Greek and Roman art, the hippocampi appear often in the same context as familiar horses. People only saw small seahorses because they were faster and dove deeper as they grew to their full size or, according to some naturalists, migrated to the seas near India or Africa as they reached maturity. They believed that the hippocampi were born the adult form of the seahorses we know today. There was a more practical reason that the Greek people and those of other cultures believed in horses that lived beneath the waves, however. It was logical, therefore, that he would have made a race of horses that was suited to his own realm in addition to those that ran on land. The Greeks believed that Poseidon, the god of the sea, was also the creator of horses. The most detailed images included green scales, fin-like manes, and sometimes wings. They had the tails of fish but the heads and front legs of land-based horses. They were probably inspired by the Phoenicians, but as far away as Scotland the Picts developed a similar creature. The Greeks shared their belief in underwater horses with many other cultures. The fish-tailed horses were not, however, unique to Greece. One of the most identifiable sea creatures in Greek art is the hippocampus. Second-hand accounts and brief sightings furthered belief in some of Greek mythology’s unusual water creatures. Many of these sea creatures, however, were inspired by real ones that were seen only in glimpses. Without a way to investigate beneath the surface, people imagined that life in the sea was very much like life on land. The legendary water creatures of Greek mythology were bizarre composite animals with the tails of fish but many attributes found on land as well. Legends were told of strange creatures that had been sighted by sailors or seen in the distant past. In the ancient world, this realm was even more enigmatic. Even today, scientists know relatively little about the creatures who live in the deepest parts of the sea. The ocean has always been a place of mystery.
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