Phorcys

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Phorcys is a primordial Greek sea god, usually described as the son of Pontus (the Sea) and Gaia (the Earth). Some scholars also link him with other sea gods like Nereus and Proteus. He is married to Ceto, and together they father a large brood of monsters.

Common children and related figures:
- The Graeae (Pemphredo and Enyo)
- The Gorgons (Stheno, Euryale, Medusa)
- Ladon, the dragon who guards the gold apples of the Hesperides
- The Hesperides (in some sources, with Ladon)
- Echidna (unclear in some versions)
- Thoosa (mother of Polyphemus)
- Scylla (in various accounts, sometimes listed as Phorcys’s daughter)
- The Sirens (in some fragments attributed to Sophocles)

Notes on variations:
- Some sources pair Phorcys and Ceto as the parents of the Hesperides; other ancient authors disagree.
- In other tales, Scylla’s parentage differs (sometimes Crataeis, Triton, or Phorcys).
- Homer mentions Thoosa as Phorcys’s daughter.
- In a very old version cited by Servius, Phorcys was once king of Sardinia and Corsica and was transformed into a sea deity after being killed in battle.

Depictions:
- In late Roman mosaics, Phorcys is shown as a merman with a fish tail, crab-claw legs, and red, spiky skin.