Nilus (mythology)
Encyclopedia
Nilus, in Greek mythology
, was the son of Oceanus
and Tethys
. He represented the god of the Nile river itself and was father to several children. Of these included Memphis
(mother of Libya
by Epaphus
a king of Egypt
), as well as a son named Nilus Ankhmemiphis (the father of Anchinoe and Telephassa).
His granddaughter Libya in turn became mother to Belus
and Agenor
. These sons then married (presumably) younger daughters of his son Nilus named Anchiroe and Telephassa
respectively. His other children include: Chione
, Anippe, and (possibly) Caliadne
and Polyxo
. Though he represented the Nile, Nilus's overall importance in Greek Mythology is very small. Had he been an Egyptian god his importance would have been much greater.
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
, was the son of Oceanus
Oceanus
Oceanus ; , Ōkeanós) was a pseudo-geographical feature in classical antiquity, believed by the ancient Greeks and Romans to be the world-ocean, an enormous river encircling the world....
and Tethys
Tethys (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Tethys , daughter of Uranus and Gaia was an archaic Titaness and aquatic sea goddess, invoked in classical Greek poetry but not venerated in cult. Tethys was both sister and wife of Oceanus...
. He represented the god of the Nile river itself and was father to several children. Of these included Memphis
Memphis (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Memphis was the wife to Epaphus, mother of Libya and sometimes the daughter of Nilus. She and her husband were the legendary founders of Memphis, which bears her name. Memphis is a Naiad Nymph according to the website Another name for Memphis's mother is Danaus .-Argive...
(mother of Libya
Libya (mythology)
Libya is the name given to both a region of North Africa and a daughter of Epaphus, King of Egypt, in both Greek and Roman mythology.-Greek mythology:...
by Epaphus
Epaphus
In Greek mythology, Epaphus , also called Apis, was the son of Zeus and Io and a king of Egypt.The name/word Epaphus means "Touch". This refers to the manner in which he was conceived, by the touch of Zeus' hand. He was born in Euboea or, according to others, in Egypt, on the river Nile, after...
a king of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
), as well as a son named Nilus Ankhmemiphis (the father of Anchinoe and Telephassa).
His granddaughter Libya in turn became mother to Belus
Belus (Egyptian)
Belus was in Greek mythology a king of Egypt and father of Aegyptus and Danaus and brother to Agenor. The wife of Belus has been named as Achiroe, or Side ....
and Agenor
Agenor
Agenor was in Greek mythology and history a Phoenician king of Tyre. Herodotus estimates that Agenor lived sometime before the year 2000 B.C..-Genealogy:...
. These sons then married (presumably) younger daughters of his son Nilus named Anchiroe and Telephassa
Telephassa
In Greek mythology, Telephassa is a lunar epithet like Telephae that is sometimes substituted for Argiope, the wife of Agenor, according to his name a "leader of men" in Phoenicia, and mother of Cadmus. In some versions she is the daughter of Nilus, god of the Nile and Nephele, a soft cloud oceanid...
respectively. His other children include: Chione
Chione (daughter of Callirrhoe)
In Greek mythology, Chione was the daughter of the naiad Callirrhoe and Neilus. She was transformed into a snow cloud by Hermes at the order of Zeus; the Greek word for snow was thought to have come from her name.-Sources:...
, Anippe, and (possibly) Caliadne
Caliadne
Caliadne , in Greek mythology, is a naiad of the river Nile, presumably one of the daughters of the river-god Nilus. She is one of the wives of Aegyptus, bearing him twelve sons: Eurylochus, Phantes, Peristhenes, Hermus, Dryas, Potamon, Cisseus, Lixus, Imbrus, Bromios, Polyctor, and Chthonios...
and Polyxo
Polyxo
Polyxo is the name of several figures in Greek mythology:*One of the Hyades.*A Naiad of the river Nile, presumably one of the daughters of the river-god Nilus. She was one of the wives of Danaus and bore him twelve daughters: Autonoe, Theano, Electra, Cleopatra, Eurydice, Glaucippe, Anthelea,...
. Though he represented the Nile, Nilus's overall importance in Greek Mythology is very small. Had he been an Egyptian god his importance would have been much greater.