TRITON MOSAIC

In this mosaic, which was found by smugglers and smuggled to the United States, Amphytrite is depicted on Triton, her child from Posseidon. Amphitrite is the queen of the Sea that surrounds the world. She belongs to the group of daughters of Nereus and Doris called Nereids. She was the conductor of her sisters' choir. One day, while Amphitrite was dancing with her sisters near the island of Naxos, Poseidon saw her and kidnapped her. It is said that Poseidon had loved her for a long time, but rejected her because of his fondness for the young girl's chastity, hiding in the depths of the Ocean, beyond the pillars of Hercules (the Strait of Gibraltar). Amphitrite, found by dolphins, was brought to Poseidon with a large cortege, and Poseidon married Amphitrite. Amphitrite's role next to the Sea god is equal to that of Hera next to Zeus or Persephone next to the god of the Dead. Amphitrite is often shown surrounded by a large cortege of sea goddesses. After their magnificent wedding under the sea, Poseidon and Amphitrite gave birth to a child. This child's face resembled both gods and humans. However, from his waist down, which was covered with seaweed, it extended like a fish's tail. As soon as this child, called Triton, was born, he began to serve his mother (Amphitrite) and father (Poseidon) and convey their orders. A large spiral mother-of-pearl shell was his pipe. When he blew with his powerful breath, it made sounds similar to the sound of raging waves. Triton, the only son of Poseidon and Amphitrite, immediately united with mermaids and gave birth to many children. His children, like their father, had faces like humans and bodies like fish. When Poseidon, the god of all rivers and seas, came out of his magnificent palaces in the depths of the seas, accompanied by his beautiful wife Amphitrite, all the tritons calmed the anger of the waves by playing their trumpets, blowing their trumpets, and ran swimmingly behind and next to the god's chariot.