Oceanus (Ancient Greek: Ὠκεανός) was a son of Gaia and Uranus. He was one of the eldest Titans along with Tethys, Kronos, Rhea, Theia, Hyperion, Themis, Krios, Mnemosyne, Koios, Phoibe, and Iapetos. He is the Titan of the sea and all water boundaries.
In Mythology[]
When Kronos, the youngest of the Titans, overthrew his father Uranus, thereby becoming the ruler of the cosmos, according to Hesiod, none of the other Titans participated in the attack on Uranus. However according to the mythographer Apollodorus, all the Titans—except Oceanus—attacked Uranus. Proclus, in his commentary on Plato's Timaeus, quotes several lines of a poem (probably Orphic) which has an angry Oceanus brooding aloud as to whether he should join Kronos and the other Titans in the attack on Uranus. And, according to Proclus, Oceanus did not in fact take part in the attack.
According to Hesiod's Theogony, Oceanus sent his daughter Styx, with her childrens Bia (Force), Nike (Victory), Kratos (Power) and Zelos (Envy) to fight on Zeus' side against the Titans, And in the Iliad, Hera says that during the war she was sent to Oceanus and Tethys for safekeeping.
Sometime after the war, Aeschylus' Prometheus Bound, has Oceanus visit his nephew the enchained Prometheus, who is being punished by Zeus for his theft of fire. Oceanus arrives riding a winged steed, saying that he is sympathetic to Prometheus' plight and wishes to help him if he can. But Prometheus mocks Oceanus, asking him: "How did you summon courage to quit the stream that bears your name and the rock-roofed caves you yourself have made" Oceanus advises Prometheus to humble himself before the new ruler Zeus, and so avoid making his situation any worse. But Prometheus replies: "I envy you because you have escaped blame for having dared to share with me in my troubles."
According to Pherecydes, while Herakles was travelling in Helios's golden cup, on his way to Erytheia to fetch the cattle of Geryon, Oceanus challenged Heracles by sending high waves rocking the cup, but Herakles threatened to shoot Oceanus with his bow, and Oceanus in fear stopped.
Parents[]
Gaia (Mother) and Uranus (Father)
Spouse & Lovers[]
Tethys (Wife)
Children[]
The Okeanides & The Potamoi
Siblings[]
- Argês (Brother)
- Briareos (Brother)
- Brontês (Brother)
- Gyes (Brother)
- Hyperion (Brother)
- Iapetos (Brother)
- Koios (Brother)
- Kottos (Brother)
- Krios (Brother)
- Kronos (Brother)
- Mnemosyne (Sister)
- Phoibe (Sister)
- Rhea (Sister)
- Steropês (Brother)
- Tethys (Sister)
- Theia (Sister)
- Themis (Sister)
History[]
He was born to Gaia and Ouranos.
Appearances[]
Hesiod and Homer
- Odysseus and Nestor make prayers to "the great sea-god who girdles the world". They are intended to Oceanus, not Poseidon.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Oceanus is the only one of the Elder Titans to remain neutral during the Titanomachy.
- His Roman Equivalent is the God Ogenus
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Titans : | Okeanos • Hyperion • Koios • Krios • Iapetos • Kronos | |
Second Generation : | • Potamoi • Lelantos • Astraios • Pallas • Perses • Atlas • Prometheus • Epimetheus • Menoitios • Helios | |
Related Articles : | Titanomachy • Olympians • Gigantes • Demigods |