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The hippocamp is a hybrid sea creature - a literal sea-horse. The beast has the front half of a horse and the scaly back half of a fish. The hippocamp is found in Greek, Phoeician, and Etruscan mythology.
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Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea, is often portrayed riding across the waves in a chariot drawn by hippocamps. Nereids often ride on their backs. (I'll feature Nereids next week.)
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According to Greek legend, Jason and his Argonauts were on a quest to find the Golden Fleece. Once when they did not know the way, a giant hippocamp was unhitched from Poseidon's chariot, rose from the sea, and galloped away across the desert. The Argonauts followed the creature's tracks as they carried their boat on their shoulders until they reached the next bay.
cool feature/ a ya book if called that if im not mistaken, 2012 ya
ReplyDeleteThis word always makes me think of a camp for hippos. :D
ReplyDeleteI wonder if this legend arose from real seahorses?
ReplyDeleteYou always find such interesting creatures and pictures.
ReplyDeleteI love that first photo. Great depiction.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read this, I thought that the name was familiar, and then realised I'd been introduced to the Hippocamp in the Percy Jackson books. Lovely to find out more about them here.
ReplyDeleteThe image in the middle is a little scary.
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat and interesting creature.
ReplyDeleteSue B
I still don't understand how they swim with those hooves.
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