Who was Nereus ?

Nereus (Ne-re-us) is part of the Greek mythology. He is son of the sea god Ponthus and Gaea, Mother Earth. He is also called the old man of the sea. He was married to Doris, a daughter of the titan Oceanus, by whom he had 50 beautiful daughters. These girls, the nymphs of the sea, were called the Nereids.

They all lived at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, but often came to the surface to aid lost sailors.

They were believed to ride dolphins and other sea animals.

The most famous of the Nereids were Thetis (mother of the Greek hero Achilles), Amphitrite (wife of Poseidon, god of the sea) and Galatea (loved by the Cyclops Polyphemus).