GALATEIA MOSAIC

In the legend, there are two people with this name, which etymologically evokes the whiteness of milk. The first is one of the daughters of Nereus and a mermaid goddess who plays a role in some Sicilian folk legends. Galateia, the white-skinned young girl living in the calm sea, was infatuated with the monster-bodied Sicilian Cyclops Polyphemos. But the young girl did not reciprocate this love. His heart was in Akis, which belonged to a Nympha and the god Pan. One day, while Galateia was resting on her lover's chest, Polyphemus saw them. Although Akis tried to escape, Cyclops threw a huge rock and crushed him. Galateia gave Akis the identity of her mother, Nynmpha, and made him a river with clear waters. It is sometimes said that three heroes were born from the love of Polyphemus and Galateia: Galas, Keltos and Illyrius, who gave their names to the Galatians, Celts and Illyrians respectively. In this case, Galateia In one version of the myth, it may be explained that the love between the daughter of Nereus and Polyphemus was mutual. However, we have not received any testimony regarding this matter. The other Galateia is a Cretan and the daughter of a man named Eurytios. This Galateia was married to Lampros, who lived in the city of Phaistos and came from a good family but was very poor. Learning that Galateia was pregnant, Lampros told her that he only wanted a boy. If she gave birth to a daughter, Galateia would have to abandon the child. While Lampros was tending his mountain herd, Galateia gave birth to a daughter. But he couldn't bring himself to leave her. On the advice of the oracles, Galateia dressed her child in men's clothes and named him Leucippos; He hid what was happening from Lampros. But, as time went by, Leucippos became more beautiful and it became impossible to hide the lie. Galateia was afraid and went to Leto's temple and asked the goddess to change her daughter's gender. Unable to resist Galateia's begging, Leto accepted her wish and the young girl became a man.