Monday, December 19, 2011

Creature of the Week - Hippocamp


Credit for picture
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.
Credit for picture
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.)
Credit for picture
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.

9 comments:

roro said...

cool feature/ a ya book if called that if im not mistaken, 2012 ya

Stina said...

This word always makes me think of a camp for hippos. :D

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I wonder if this legend arose from real seahorses?

Natalie Aguirre said...

You always find such interesting creatures and pictures.

S.A. Larsenッ said...

I love that first photo. Great depiction.

C D Meetens said...

When 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.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

The image in the middle is a little scary.

katsrus said...

What a neat and interesting creature.
Sue B

Anonymous said...

I still don't understand how they swim with those hooves.