Pontus

In Greek mythology, Pontus (Greek: Ποντος, Pontos, "sea") was the primordial god of the sea and ruled the sea before both Oceanus and Poseidon.
Pontus consorted with his mother, Gaea, and fathered Nereus, Thaumas, Phorcys, Eurybia, and Ceto. With his wife, Thalassa, Pontus fathered the fish of the sea.
In classical Roman sculpture of the 2nd century AD, Pontus is depicted rising from seaweed, holding onto a rudder and leaning on the prow of a ship. He is wearing a mural crown and is in the company of Fortuna as the deities of the Black Sea port of Tomis in Moesia.
In the epic poem Titanomachy, Aegaeon is described as another child of Pontus and Gaea.
==Hesiod and Hyginus==
Hesiod states that Pontus was one of the children Gaea without a father while Hyginus writes that Pontus was born of the union between Aether and Gaea.
===Hesiod===
She [Gaia] bore also the fruitless deep with his raging swell, Pontus, without sweet union of love.
And Sea begat Nereus, the eldest of his children, who is true and lies not: and men call him the Old Man because he is trusty and gentle and does not forget the laws of righteousness, but thinks just and kindly thoughts. And yet again he got great Thaumas and proud Phorcys, being mated with Earth, and fair-cheeked Ceto and Eurybia who has a heart of flint within her.
===Hyginus===
From Aether and Earth [i.e. Gaia]: Grief, Deceit, Wrath, Lamentation, Falsehood, Oath, Vengeance, Intemperance, Altercation, Forgetfulness, Sloth, Fear, Pride, Incest, Combat, Ocean, Themis, Tartarus, Pontus; and the Titans, Briareus, Gyges, Steropes, Atlas, Hyperion, and Polus, Saturn, Ops, Moneta, Dione; and three Furies - namely, Alecto, Megaera, Tisiphone.
Category:Greek deities
Category:Greek primordial deities