Amphitrite
Amphitrite was the Nereid who became queen of the sea as Poseidon's wife.
The Myth of Amphitrite
Amphitrite, a Nereid daughter of the sea, fled when Poseidon first sought her hand, hiding near Atlas at the edge of the world. A dolphin found her and persuaded her to return, earning its place among the stars as Delphinus. As queen of the sea she rivaled Hera in dignity, ruling from a golden palace beneath the waves. When Poseidon pursued the nymph Scylla, jealous Amphitrite poisoned the waters where Scylla bathed, transforming her into a six-headed monster that later terrorized Odysseus in the straits near Ithaca. Amphitrite bore Triton, who carried a conch that could calm or rouse the seas, and the Nereids served as her attendants across every ocean.
Parents
Nereus and Doris
Symbols
Fun Fact
The constellation Delphinus commemorates the dolphin who convinced Amphitrite to marry Poseidon.
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth. See our full guide to English words from Greek mythology.
Explore Further
Nereids
🌿 nymphFifty sea nymphs
The fifty Nereids were daughters of Nereus — benevolent spirits of the calm sea who aided sailors and rode dolphins.
Agaue
🌿 nymphSplendour, nobility of the sea
Nereid sea nymph whose name means "the illustrious one," representing the noble majesty of the ocean
Periboea
🌿 nymphthe sea, giants
A Naiad or sea nymph who bore the giant Nausithous to Poseidon, becoming the ancestress of the Phaeacians.
Rhode
🌿 nymphthe sea, islands
A sea nymph, daughter of Poseidon and Amphitrite (or Aphrodite), who gave her name to the island of Rhodes.
Halia
🌿 nymphthe sea, salt
A sea nymph of Rhodes who bore six sons and a daughter to Poseidon before throwing herself into the sea in grief.
Amphitrite
⚡ godGoddess-queen of the seas
Amphitrite co-ruled the oceans with Poseidon.
Cymothoe
🌿 nymphWaves, sea currents
Nereid sea nymph whose name means "swift as the waves," one of the fifty daughters of Nereus and Doris
Callianassa
🌿 nymphBeautiful queenship, noble grace
Nereid sea nymph whose name means "beautiful queen," embodying the regal splendour of the sea
Beroe
🌿 nymphcities, the sea
A nymph born to Aphrodite and Adonis, whose hand in marriage was contested by Poseidon and Dionysus.
Thetis
🌿 nymphSea nymph mother of Achilles
Thetis was a sea nymph so powerful that both Zeus and Poseidon desired her — until a prophecy warned her son would surpass his father.
Nesaea
🌿 nymphIslands, coastal dwelling
Nereid sea nymph whose name means "island dweller," associated with the islands of the Aegean
Dynamene
🌿 nymphSea power, strength of waves
Nereid sea nymph whose name means "she who has power," personifying the mighty force of ocean waves