Proteus: Greek Shapeshifting God of the Sea

The Story of Proteus

Proteus was an old sea god who could change his shape at will and see the future. In Homer's Odyssey he is a servant of Poseidon who tends the god's herds of seals. He lived on the island of Pharos, off the coast of Egypt.

Proteus knew the past, present and future, but he did not like to share what he knew. Anyone who wanted his help had to catch him, usually while he was sleeping, and hold on tight. He would then change into one form after another, trying to escape, until he finally gave up and answered.

In the Odyssey, the Spartan king Menelaus was stranded on Pharos on his way home from Troy. With the help of Proteus's daughter Eidothea, he and his men hid among the seals under sealskins. When Proteus lay down to sleep, they grabbed him and held on as he turned into a lion, a serpent, a leopard, a boar, water and a tree, until he told Menelaus how to get home.

In Virgil's Georgics, the beekeeper Aristaeus lost all his bees and went to Proteus for help. He bound the god as he slept, and Proteus revealed that the bees had died as punishment for the death of Eurydice, who was bitten by a snake while fleeing Aristaeus. He told Aristaeus how to make offerings to win back the gods' favor.

Proteus had no great temples, but his story made him a lasting symbol of change. The English word protean, meaning able to change shape or take many forms, comes from his name. Writers and scientists have used his name for anything that is constantly changing.