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．

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．
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。她們當中最著名的有；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。

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、外表威嚴的大樹。經(jīng)過這些變化之后，當他無法擺脫詢問者時，神就替他作出詳盡的回答。