Proteus is a Greek God of the sea who is capable of changing His form at will. His name is the origin of the word “protean,” which is used to describe something extremely flexible or ever-changing. Though Proteus is not as well-known as other members of the Greek Pantheon, He appears in a few stories, and His name suggests that he may be quite old, given that protos means “first” in Greek.According to the Greek Religion, Proteus is the son of Poseidon and Tethys, and his official duty is being the herdsman of Poseidon's seals on the island of Lemnos. He often appears in the form of a bull seal, looking after the cows in the herd. However, Proteus is also capable of seeing into the future, a skill which makes Him a highly respected character in Greek Religion. Proteus has three children; Polygonos, Telegonos, and Eidothea.
Homer refers to Proteus as the “Old Man of The Sea,” describing His formidable oracular powers. However, according to Homer, Proteus' abilities came at a price. The God would only tell the future to someone who would be able to capture and hold him; and His shape-shifting abilities could make this quite a challenge. Only after being defeated would Proteus agree to tell the future or help people, but His advice was typically sound, because He is obliged to tell the truth.
Shape-shifting skills are very intriguing to many people; that is probably the reason why Proteus often appears in works of poetry and fiction,even in modern cinema. Characters with Protean abilities are typically portrayed as extremely powerful, whether they are villains or heroes,and Protean qualities such as flexibility and ingenuity are often viewed as positive character traits.
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