ceto

Ceto (Greek: Κητώ) is a primordial sea goddess in Greek mythology, a personification of the dangers and vastness of the sea. She is typically described as a daughter of Gaia (Earth) and Pontus (the Sea) and as the wife of Phorcys. Together, Ceto and Phorcys are said to be the parents of numerous sea creatures, including the Gorgons and the Graeae, as well as various sea monsters.

In myth, Ceto herself often functions as a background figure who explains the origin of monstrous beings that threaten sailors and heroes. The best-known offspring associated with her is Cetus, the sea monster slain by Perseus to save Andromeda. Genealogies vary by source, but the pairing of Phorcys and Ceto consistently yields a brood of sea creatures that populate Greek myth.

In later literature and art, Ceto is sometimes treated as a mother-figure of monsters or as a personification of the sea’s perilous aspect, rather than as an active protagonist in individual tales.

The name Ceto shares its root with the Greek ketos, meaning sea monster or whale. This root appears in modern scientific terms such as cetacean (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) and cetology, the study of these animals. In astronomy, Cetus is the name of a constellation representing a sea monster, reflecting the myth’s cultural reach.