Galateia

Galateia was one of the fifty Nereides and the goddess of calm seas. She was depicted in ancient art as a beautiful woman riding side-saddle on the back of a sea-monster or fish-tailed god.

She frequented the coast of Sicily and there attracted the attention of the Kyklops (Cyclops) Polyphemos. The giant wooed her with tunes from his rustic pipes and offerings of milk and cheese. But the nymphe spurned his advances and consorted instead with a handsome Sicillian youth named Akis (Acis). Polyphemos flew into a jealous rage and crushed the boy beneath a rock. Galateia was grief-stricken and transformed Akis into a stream.