Oceanus

God

In Greek mythology, Oceanus or Okeanos was one of the Titans, the children of Uranus (Sky) and Gaia (Earth), and the god of the great river which encircled the entire world. He was the brother and husband of the Titaness Tethys, and by her was the father of the river gods and the Oceanids.

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Mentions
10
Connected characters
3
Books
6
Oceanus. Марфорио
МарфориоImage source ↗CC BY-SA 4.0

Mentions in the Iliad

A. T. Murray, Loeb Classical Library, Harvard University Press, 1924 · Homer, Iliad with an English Translation · CC BY-SA 3.0 US

“But remain by your swift, sea-faring ships, and continue your wrath against the Achaeans, and refrain utterly from battle; for Zeus went yesterday to Oceanus, to the blameless Ethiopians for a feast, and all the gods followed with him; but on the twelfth day he will come back again to Olympus,”
Il. 1.420–424
“For I am faring to visit the limits of the all-nurturing earth, and Oceanus, from whom the gods are sprung, and mother Tethys, even them that lovingly nursed and cherished me in their halls, when they had taken me from Rhea, what time Zeus, whose voice is borne afar, thrust Cronos down to dwell beneath earth and the unresting sea.”
Il. 14.200–204
“Oceanus, from whom they all are sprung; but to Zeus, son of Cronos, will I not draw nigh, neither lull him to slumber, unless of himself he bid me. For ere now in another matter did a behest of thine teach me a lesson,”
Il. 14.245–249
“Then with crafty mind the queenly Hera spake unto him: I am faring to visit the limits of the all-nurturing earth, and Oceanus, from whom the gods are sprung, and mother Tethys, even them that lovingly nursed me and cherished me in their halls. Them am I faring to visit, and will loose for them their endless strife,”
Il. 14.300–304
“to go his way, full loath, to the stream of Ocean. So the sun set and the goodly Achaeans stayed them from the fierce strife and the evil war. And on their side, the Trojans, when they were come back from the fierce conflict, loosed from beneath their cars their swift horses,”
Il. 18.240–244
“even she that saved me when pain was come upon me after I had fallen afar through the will of my shameless mother, that was fain to hide me away by reason of my lameness. Then had I suffered woes in heart, had not Eurynome and Thetis received me into their bosom—Eurynome, daughter of backward-flowing Oceanus.”
Il. 18.395–399
“and two tumblers whirled up and down through the midst of them as leaders in the dance. Therein he set also the great might of the river Oceanus, around the uttermost rim of the strongly-wrought shield. But when he had wrought the shield, great and sturdy,”
Il. 18.605–609
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“Now Dawn the saffron-robed arose from the streams of Oceanus to bring light to immortals and to mortal men, and Thetis came to the ships bearing gifts from the god. And she found her dear son as he lay, clasping Patroclus,”
Il. 19.1–4
“brow of many-ribbed Olympus; and she sped everywhither, and bade them come to the house of Zeus. There was no river that came not, save only Oceanus, nor any nymph, of all that haunt the fair copses, the springs that feed the rivers, and the grassy meadows.”
Il. 20.5–9
“nor the great might of deep-flowing Ocean, from whom all rivers flow and every sea, and all the springs and deep wells; howbeit even he hath fear of the lightning of great Zeus, and his dread thunder, whenso it crasheth from heaven.”
Il. 21.195–199

Connections

Wife · Sources
Wife · Sources
since now for long time's apace they hold aloof one from the other from the marriage-bed and from love, for that wrath hath fallen upon their hearts. And my horses stand at the foot of many-fountained Ida, my horses that shall bear me both over the solid land and the waters of the sea. But now it is because of thee that I am come hither down from Olympus,
Il. 14.305–306

Il. 14.305–306

Daughter · Sources
Daughter · Sources
even she that saved me when pain was come upon me after I had fallen afar through the will of my shameless mother, that was fain to hide me away by reason of my lameness. Then had I suffered woes in heart, had not Eurynome and Thetis received me into their bosom—Eurynome, daughter of backward-flowing Oceanus.
Il. 18.398–399

Il. 18.398–399

Raised by Oceanus · Sources
Raised by Oceanus · Sources
Then with crafty mind the queenly Hera spake unto him: I am faring to visit the limits of the all-nurturing earth, and Oceanus, from whom the gods are sprung, and mother Tethys, even them that lovingly nursed me and cherished me in their halls. Them am I faring to visit, and will loose for them their endless strife,
Il. 14.303

Il. 14.303

In art

Head of Oceanus
Head of OceanusArtist not recorded · 200Sousse Archaeological Museum

Head of Oceanus. Sousse Archaeological Museum. Public domain. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q104828068

Фонтан Треви
Фонтан ТревиNicola Salvi · 1732Collection not recorded

Nicola Salvi. Фонтан Треви. CC BY-SA 4.0. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q185382

Neptune Fountain
Neptune FountainLambert Sigisbert Adam · 1679Collection not recorded

Lambert Sigisbert Adam. Neptune Fountain. CC BY-SA 3.0. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2887491

See all 8
Марфорио
МарфориоArtist not recorded · Date not establishedCapitoline Museums

Марфорио. Capitoline Museums. CC BY-SA 4.0. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q831467

The Moon-goddess Selene
The Moon-goddess SeleneArtist not recorded · 101Department of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities of the Louvre · ПарижInv. MR 952

The Moon-goddess Selene. Department of Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities of the Louvre. CC BY 3.0. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q87884921

Le Mystère Mithra - 2022-07-02 - Statue d'Océan ou du fleuve Anas
Le Mystère Mithra - 2022-07-02 - Statue d'Océan ou du fleuve AnasArtist not recorded · Date not establishedNational Museum of Roman ArtInv. Inv. CE00085

Le Mystère Mithra - 2022-07-02 - Statue d'Océan ou du fleuve Anas. National Museum of Roman Art. Public domain. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q112865717

Mosaico de Océano (48928130318)
Mosaico de Océano (48928130318)Artist not recorded · Date not establishedMuseu Municipal de Faro

Mosaico de Océano (48928130318). Museu Municipal de Faro. CC BY 2.0. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q136792744

Lugo, Museo Provincial 02-28e
Lugo, Museo Provincial 02-28eArtist not recorded · Date not establishedCollection not recorded

Lugo, Museo Provincial 02-28e. CC BY-SA 4.0. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q131852407

04 / PROVENANCE

Sources and verification

The character is matched to the catalogue.

Wikidata Q161419

Reference material remains distinct from the poem’s assertions. Characters who share a name retain separate pages.