Poseidon and Amphitrite
Poseidon takes Amphitrite as his divine consort, establishing the royal household of the sea and the lineage of Triton.
The Story
After Poseidon received dominion over the sea, Amphitrite became his principal divine consort.
Amphitrite was a sea goddess associated with the Nereids in important traditions.
Ancient sources do not preserve one single account of how the marriage began.
In a well-known later version Amphitrite initially avoided Poseidon and fled from him.
Poseidon sent messengers to find her.
A dolphin eventually persuaded or guided Amphitrite back.
She became queen beside Poseidon in the divine household of the sea.
Their union produced Triton.
Triton became one of the most recognisable sea gods, often imagined with a human upper body and a fish-like lower form.
He was particularly associated with the conch shell, whose sound could calm or stir the sea.
In later myth and art Triton often appears as herald or attendant of Poseidon.
The family therefore formed a marine counterpart to the royal household of Zeus on Olympus.
Poseidon ruled the sea.
Amphitrite shared his marine realm.
Triton represented the next divine generation and became one of its characteristic heralds.
Key Figures
Why It Matters
The myth establishes Amphitrite as Poseidon's principal consort and Triton as their son, giving the Greek sea gods a recognisable divine household parallel to other Olympian family structures.
Traditions & Variations
Early Greek sources establish Amphitrite's relationship with Poseidon and Triton, while the story of her flight and persuasion by a dolphin is especially prominent in later mythographic tradition.