Leucothea the Sea Goddess

(Leucothea) was a sea goddess who came to the aid of sailors in distress.

She was once a mortal princess named Ino, a daughter of King Kadmos (Cadmus) of Thebes. She and her husband Athamas incurred the wrath of Hera when they fostered the infant god Dionysos. As punishment the goddess drove Athamas into a murderous rage and he slew his eldest child. Ino then grapped the other, and in her flight leapt off a cliff into the sea. The pair were welcomed into the company of the sea-gods and renamed Leukothea (the White Goddess) and Palaimon (Palaemon).

Leukothea later came to the aid of Odysseus when his raft had been destroyed by Poseidon, and wrapped him in the safety of her buoyant shawl.

The Romans identified her with the goddess Mater Matuta.