Amphitrite

A sea-goddess. Amphitrite was a daughter either of Nereus and Doris or that of Oceanus and Tethys. In the Roman myths, Amphitrite was known as Salacia.

Neptune and Amphitrite
Mosaic from the College of
Augustali, Herculaneum. 62-
79 AD

Poseidon pursued her, but Amphitrite fled to the Titan Atlas for protection. Poseidon only married Amphitrite after Delphin persuaded her. As consort and wife of Poseidon, she became the mother of Triton, Rhode, Albion, Charybdis and Benthesicyme.

Like his brother Zeus, Poseidon had many affairs with mortal women and nymphs. But unlike Hera, Zeus’ wife, Amphitrite was not jealous and vindictive. Amphitrite seemed to get along with Poseidon’s children, particularly with the Athenian hero Theseus.

When Zeus sent thunder and lightning to prove Minos, king of Crete, was the son of Zeus, the king threw a gold coin into the sea and asked Theseus to fetch the coin, in order to prove he was the son of Poseidon. When Theseus jumped into the sea to fetch the coin, Amphitrite not only gave the coin to Theseus, but her gold crown as proof.