Of all the small sea divinities Nereus and Proteus stood out as Peculiar sea-gods．Nereus，known as“the Old Man of the sea”，represented the pleasant aspect of ocean waters．He lived beneath the sea with his fifty lovely daughters，of whom the most famous were Amphritrite，Thetis，Galate a and Panope．It was Nereus who advised Heracles to seek Prometheus in the hero's search of the golden apples．
    在所有的小海神中，納魯斯和普魯吐斯異常獨特。納魯斯是人們熟知的“海中的老人”。他代表了海水友善的一面。他和50個可愛的女兒一起生活在海中。她們當(dāng)中最的有；安菲瑞垂托、塞提絲、蓋拉蒂和潘諾珀。在勇敢地尋覓金蘋果的時候，納魯斯建議赫格立斯尋找普羅米修斯。
    Proteus was Poseidon's herdsman. He was well known for two qualities：the gift of prophecy and the power to take various forms．At one time he was a lion with a curly wavy hairs；at another he appeared in the shape of a wild boar；and still another he stood a stately tree covered with rich leaves．When，after all these and many other changes，he failed to get rid of his questioner， the god offered detailed answers．
    普魯吐斯是波塞冬的牧羊人。他有兩種非凡的能力：他能預(yù)言，他還能夠變成不同的動物。有時他是一頭獅子，有著波浪般的卷發(fā)。有時他是一頭兇猛的野豬。而有時他又是一棵枝葉繁茂、外表威嚴(yán)的大樹。經(jīng)過這些變化之后，當(dāng)他無法擺脫詢問者時，神就替他作出詳盡的回答。