Proteus - Proteus (English spelling)

An old sea god in Greek mythology. He was called the "Old Man of the Sea" like Nereus, and had the power of prophecy and the ability to change his form at will. He served under Poseidon as a shepherd who looked after the sea animals, the seals. According to Homer's Odyssey, Menelaus was washed ashore on the Egyptian island of Pharos during a storm on his way back from Troy, and when Proteus appeared on the island, he tried to grab him in order to find out his future. Proteus transformed into a lion, a giant snake, a leopard, a boar, water, and a large tree one after another to escape, but Menelaus would not let him go. So Proteus gave up and returned to his original form, showed him the way home, and told him the story of the return of the generals who had gone on expeditions. He is probably a friendly sea god created from the imagination of navigators. According to later accounts by Herodotus and Euripides, he became king of Egypt and protected Helen, who had been cast away from Sparta with Paris and was cast away ashore.

[Teruo Ito]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ギリシア神話の海の老神。ネレウスと同じ「海の老人」とよばれ、預言の力と自由に姿を変える力とを備えていた。海の家畜アザラシの番をする牧人として、ポセイドンの配下にあった。ホメロスの『オデュッセイア』によれば、メネラオスはトロヤからの帰路、暴風にあってエジプトのファロス島に漂着し、その島へ現れるプロテウスから未来を聞き出すために、彼をつかまえようとした。プロテウスがライオン、大蛇、豹(ひょう)、猪(いのしし)、水、大木と次々に変身して逃れるのをメネラオスが離さなかったため、プロテウスはあきらめて本来の姿に戻り、帰国の道を教え、遠征した諸将の帰国のありさまを語って聞かせた。おそらく彼は、航海者の空想から生み出された親しみやすい海神と考えられる。後のヘロドトスやエウリピデスによれば、彼はエジプト王となり、スパルタからパリスとともに出奔して漂着したヘレネを保護したとされる。

［伊藤照夫］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例