ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Melicertes

Melicertes is a name given to a mythical character in Greek mythology. The story goes that there was once a little boy named Melicertes who was the son of the king of Corinth. He was very loved by his parents and everyone in the kingdom.

One day, his mother's jealous husband plotted to harm Melicertes by throwing him and his mother into the sea. However, the god Poseidon, who controlled the sea, took pity on Melicertes and turned him into a sea-god. Poseidon gave him the name Palaimon, which means "the old man of the sea", and the power to transform into any type of sea creature he wished.

From then on, Melicertes (or Palaimon) was seen as a protector of sailors and fishermen. Whenever they were in danger at sea, they would pray to him for help. It was believed that if a sailor spotted a dolphin, it was actually Melicertes in disguise and it was good luck to see him.

So basically, Melicertes is a mythical character from Greek mythology who was turned into a sea-god by Poseidon and became a protector of sailors and fishermen.