In
Greek mythology, Glaucus (/ˈɡlɔːkəs/;
Ancient Greek: Γλαῦκος,
romanized: Glaûkos,
lit. 'glimmering') was a
Greek prophetic
sea-god, born mortal and turned immortal upon eating a magical herb. It was believed that he came to the rescue of sailors and fishermen in storms, having earlier earned a living from the sea himself.
The story of Glaucus's apotheosis was dealt with in detail by
Ovid in Metamorphoses and briefly referenced by many other authors.[7][8][9][10][11][12] According to Ovid, Glaucus began his life as a mortal
fisherman living in the
Boeotian city of
Anthedon.[13] He found a magical herb which could bring the fish he caught back to life, and decided to try eating it. The herb made him immortal, but also caused him to grow fins instead of arms and a fish's tail instead of legs (though some versions say he simply became a
merman-like being),[14] forcing him to dwell forever in the sea. Glaucus was initially upset by this side-effect, but
Oceanus and
Tethys received him well and he was quickly accepted among the deities of the sea, learning from them the art of
prophecy.
John Tzetzes adds to the above story that Glaucus became "immortal, but not immune to aging".[15]
In an alternate, non-extant version cited in Athenaeus (with reference to
Nicander's Aetolian History), Glaucus chased a hare on Mount Oreia until the animal fell down almost dead, then carried his prey to a spring and rubbed it with a bunch of grass that was growing about. The herb brought the hare back to life. Glaucus then tasted it himself and fell into a state of "divine madness", in which state Zeus made him fling himself into the stormy sea.[6]
Athenaeus also informs that in yet another version followed by Possis of Magnesia, Glaucus (rather than
Argus) was the builder and the pilot of Argo. During a naval battle between the Argonauts and the
Etruscans, he fell into the sea and by the will of
Zeus became a sea god.[6]
The herb
Alexander of Aetolia, cited in Athenaeus, related that the magical herb grew on the island
Thrinacia sacred to
Helios and served as a remedy against fatigue for the sun god's horses.
Aeschrion of Samos informed that it was known as the "dog's-tooth" and was believed to have been sown by
Cronus.[6]
Prophetic abilities
Athenaeus, referring to
Aristotle's
non-extantConstitution of Delos, related that Glaucus settled in
Delos together with the
Nereids and would give prophecies to whoever asked for them. He also mentions, this time with reference to Nicander, that
Apollo was believed to have learned the art of prophecy from Glaucus.[6]
Advisor to seafarers
An encounter of Glaucus with the Argonauts was described by
Diodorus Siculus[16] and
Philostratus the Elder.[17] When the Argonauts were caught in a storm,
Orpheus addressed the
Cabeiroi with prayer; the wind ceased, and Glaucus appeared. He followed the Argo for two days and prophesied to
Heracles and the
Dioscuri their future adventures and eventual deification. He addressed other members of the crew individually as well, especially noting that he was sent to them thanks to Orpheus's prayer, and instructing them to further pray to the Cabeiroi. In
Apollonius Rhodius's version, Glaucus appeared at the point when
Telamon quarreled with
Jason over Heracles and
Polyphemus being left behind on the coast of
Bithynia where
Hylas had been lost. Glaucus reconciled the two by letting them know that it had been ordained for Heracles to return to
Eurystheus's court and complete his
Twelve Labours, and for Polyphemus to found
Cius, while Hylas had been abducted by a
nymph and married her.[18] Cf. also above for the version that made Glaucus an Argonaut himself.
In
Euripides's play Orestes, Glaucus appeared in front of
Menelaus on the latter's voyage home, announcing to him the death of his brother
Agamemnon by the hand of
Clytaemnestra.[19]
Love life
According to Ovid and
Hyginus, Glaucus fell in love with the beautiful
nymphScylla and wanted her for his wife, but she was appalled by his fish-like features and fled onto land when he tried to approach her. He asked the witch
Circe for a potion to make Scylla fall in love with him, but Circe fell in love with him instead. She tried to win his heart with her most passionate and loving words, telling him to scorn Scylla and stay with her. But he replied that trees would grow on the ocean floor and seaweed would grow on the highest mountain before he would stop loving Scylla. In her anger, Circe poisoned the pool where Scylla bathed, transforming her into a terrible monster with twelve feet and six heads.[20][21]
Euanthes and Theolytus of Methymna also recorded an affair between Glaucus and
Ariadne: according to Athenaeus who cites these authors, Glaucus seduced Ariadne as she was abandoned by
Theseus on Dia (
Naxos).
Dionysus then fought Glaucus over Ariadne and overpowered him, binding his hands and feet with grape vines; he, however, released Glaucus when the latter disclosed his own name and origin.[6]
According to Mnaseas, again cited in Athenaeus, Glaucus abducted
Syme on a journey back from Asia, and had the island
Syme named after her; according to Aeschrion of Samos, Glaucus was the lover of the semi-historical
Hydne.[6]
Glaucus was reported to have had male lovers as well: Nicander in Europia mentioned Nereus as one, while
Hedylus of Samos (or Athens) wrote that it was out of love for
Melicertes that Glaucus threw himself into the sea. Yet according to
Nicanor of Cyrene's Change of Names, Glaucus and the deified Melicertes were one and the same.[6]
It is not known if Glaucus had any children, but
Pausanias mentions
Glaucus of Carystus as an alleged descendant of Glaucus the sea god.[22]Virgil seems to indicate the
Cumaean Sibyl, Deiphobe, as a daughter of Glaucus.[23]
Cultural depictions
Aeschylus wrote a play on Glaucus, entitled Glaucus Pontius ("Glaucus of the Sea"), now
lost.[24] A work entitled Glaucus also belonged to
Callimachus[25] (it is unclear though which Glaucus was its subject).
The Roman author
Velleius Paterculus made mention of Plancus, who performed in the role of Glaucus at a feast.[26]
In Book 3 of "
Endymion" by
John Keats the story of Glaucus and Circe is retold.
A statue of Glaucus was installed in 1911 in the middle of the
Fontana delle Naiadi, Mario Rutelli's fountain of four naked bronze nymphs, located in the Piazza Repubblica,
Rome.
Ezra Pound wrote a poem titled "An Idyl for Glaucus" from the perspective of Glaucus's human lover, abandoned after Glaucus had tasted the herb and leapt into the sea.[27]
In the 2018 novel Circe by American writer
Madeline Miller, Circe grants Glaucus immortality with herbs before she is rebuffed in favor of Scylla.
Euripides, The Complete Greek Drama, edited by Whitney J. Oates and Eugene O'Neill Jr. in two volumes. 2. Orestes, translated by Robert Potter. New York. Random House. 1938.
Online version at the Perseus Digital Library.
Pausanias, Description of Greece with an English Translation by W.H.S. Jones, Litt.D., and H.A. Ormerod, M.A., in 4 Volumes. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1918.
Online version at the Perseus Digital Library