Oceănus

, a powerful deity of the sea, son of Cœlus and Terra. He married Tethys, by whom he had the most principal rivers, such as the Alpheus, Peneus, Strymon, . , with a number of daughters who are called from him Oceanides. See: Oceanides . According to Homer, Ocean us was the ♦ father of all the gods, and on that account he received frequent visits from the rest of the deities. He is generally represented as an old man with a long flowing beard, and sitting upon the waves of the sea. He often holds a pike in his hand, whilst ships under sail appear at a distance, or a sea monster stands near him. Ocean us presided over every part of the sea, and even the rivers were subjected to his power. The ancients were superstitious in their worship to Ocean us, and revered with great solemnity a deity to whose care they entrusted themselves when going on any voyage. Hesiod , Theogony .— Ovid , Fasti , bk. 5 , li. 81 , . — Apollo dor us , bk. 1 .— Cicero , de Natura Deorum , bk. 3 , ch. 20 .— Homer , Iliad . ♦ ‘fathers’ replaced with ‘father’