Galatea



Renaissance painting (16th century) depicting Galatea. Villa Farnesina, Rome, Italy.
Click on image for full size (146K JPEG)
Image courtesy of Photodisc, Inc. All rights reserved. Images provided by (c) 1995 Fototeca Storica Nazionale.
Galatea was a sea nymph for the ancient Greeks. She lived in the sea surrounding the island of Sicily. One of the giant Cyclopes, Polyphemus, was in love with her. But Galatea loved a young shepherd called Acis, who was the son of Pan.

Polyphemus was so jealous of Acis that he killed him with a rock. Acis' blood formed a stream which Galatea turned into a river that bears his name.

Because Galatea was a sea-nymph, her name has been given to one of the moons of the planet Neptune.

Galatea



Renaissance painting (16th century) depicting Galatea. Villa Farnesina, Rome, Italy.
Click on image for full size (146K JPEG)
Image courtesy of Photodisc, Inc. All rights reserved. Images provided by (c) 1995 Fototeca Storica Nazionale.
Many features of the Earth are named after mythological figures. An example is the story of Galatea's love for a young beautiful shepherd called Acis. He was the son of Pan.Galatea lived in the sea surrounding the island of Sicily where she met several times one of the Cyclopes, the monstrous one-eyed Polyphemus.

Polyphemus was in love with Galatea and was unable to control his jealousy of Acis. Once Polyphemus caught Galatea and Acis asleep on a grassy mound. He killed the small shepherd with a huge rock. Acis' blood formed a small stream on the ground.

Heartbroken, Galatea turned it into a stream of water that bears Acis' name. Because Galatea was a sea-nymph and attendant of the sea-god Poseidon, her name had been given to one of the moons of the planet Neptune.

Galatea



Renaissance painting (16th century) depicting Galatea. Villa Farnesina, Rome, Italy.
Click on image for full size (146K JPEG)
Image courtesy of Photodisc, Inc. All rights reserved. Images provided by (c) 1995 Fototeca Storica Nazionale.
Galatea, whose name means "milk-white," was a sea nymph, one of the Nereids, who lived in the sea surrounding the island of Sicily. The one-eyed Cyclops Polyphemus, who lived in Sicily with his flocks of sheep and goats, was desperately enamored of Galatea who instead preferred the young shepherd Acis, son of Pan.

Galatea and Acis used to mock the serenades that Polyphemus sang for Galatea. Once Polyphemus caught the pair sleeping on a grassy mound; he violently killed Acis by crushing him under a huge rock. Acis blood formed a small stream beneath the rock that Galatea turned into a stream of water that was named after him.

Another version of the legend suggests the existence of a mutual love between Galatea and Polyphemus. They were the parents of three mythical heroes: Galas, Celtus, and Illyrius from whose names derive those of the Galatians, the Celts, and the Illyrians.

Galatea is involved in yet another story. Pygmalion, unhappy with the women in his city, decided to carve a statue to be his wife. Aphrodite granted his wish that the statue come to life. It is said that Pygmalion named his new partner Galatea.

Because Galatea was a sea-nymph and attendant of the sea-god Poseidon, her name had been given to one of the moons of the planet Neptune.



Last modified prior to September, 2000 by the Windows Team

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