Amphitrite

In the Greek Mythology, Amphitrite (in Greek old Ἀμφιτρίτη / Amphitrítê ) is a Néréide, girl of Nérée and Doris (or Dioné according to certain late sources), woman of Poséidon.

Myth

Amphitrite is completely unknown of Iliade , which recognizes in Dioné only the maternity of Aphrodite. the Odyssey mentions it like a divinity of the sea, mistress of the marine monsters, but without mentioning bond with Poséidon. Amphitrite also appears in the Homeric Hymne in Apollon délien (written towards 700 av. J. - C.) like one of the goddesses having governed the birth of this god, against the opinion of Héra. The Pseudo-Apollodore, it growing old of a divine generation, more readily arranges it among the Océanides.

The Théogonie of Hésiode mentions the first its union with Poséidon, of which is born the monster Triton. The lyric poets Pindare and Bacchylide take again the topic, which also is essential on the same time in the painting on vase. Later sources add Rhodé and Benthésicymé to the number of the children of the divine couple.

Hygin also delivers to us a detailed version of the meeting of Amphitrite and Poséidon, allotting it to Ératosthène: the god falls in love whereas he sees dancing Amphitrite on the island of Naxos, but this one flees it and will take refuge near the Titan Atlas. Poséidon then dispatches many servants with his research. One of them, Delphinos, finds it and pleads so well the cause of its Master that Amphitrite accepts to marry it. (To reward its messenger, Poséidon will transport it thereafter with the sky where it becomes the constellation of the Dolphin.)

Representations

The iconography of Amphitrite is relatively not very widespread in Greek art. It appears at the sides of Poséidon in the bridal procession of the Vase François, a crater with volutes of 570 av. J. - C. which represents the weddings of Pélée and of Thétis. The same applies to a dinos of the Sophilos painter, dating from the same time. Contemporary also, the pinakes (ceramics plates, often of votive use) of Penteskouphia frequently represent it at the sides of Poséidon, called upon here as a divinity of deaths. In a general way, it can be identified only at the sides of her husband, or when it is explicitly named by an inscription. It happens however that it has as an attribute a Poisson which it holds with the hand.

Amphitrite also appears at the time of the underwater voyage of Thésée, scene illustrated by many vases attics with red figures of the beginning of fifth the most famous century BC is probably the cut of the Onésimos painter and the potter Euphronios, of which the interior shows sitted Amphitrite tightening a crown (or a garland) with the young hero. According to Pausanias, a fresco of Mikon took again the same iconography in the hérôon of Thésée with Athens.

In the Roman art, it is often represented accompanied by Dauphin S and triton S, sometimes of other Néréides, in scenes evoking a marine procession. There still, and in particular in the art of the mosaic, it is often associated with Neptune, that is to say while being illustrated in its sides (Louvre MY 1880: pavement coming from Constantine), is in the decorative program of a house (possibly in the Thermal baths of Neptune with Ostie).

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