POSEIDON BY ALYANA
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Poseidon, sometimes spelled Posidon, is a major Olympian and the brother of Zeus and Hades. The revered god of the sea's domain is mainly the ocean and he
features in many cool myths.
After Zeus defeated the Titans and dethroned Cronus, with the assistance
of his brothers and sisters, the three brothers - Zeus, Poseidon and
Hades - drew lots to see which of the three realms each would rule.
Zeus got the heavens and thus became supreme ruler, while Hades received
the Underworld and Poseidon inherited the sea. The Earth and Mount
Olympus belonged to all three.
The gods were fine with their choices, even though Poseidon always
wanted more and once even conspired to dethrone his brother Zeus. More
on that later.
Poseidon's fearsome weapon was the Trident, a three-pronged spear
crafted by the inventive Cyclopes, who were liberated by the Olympians
when the Titans were defeated. The Cyclopes also gave Zeus the
Thunderbolts and Hades the Helmet of Invisibility in gratitude for being
set free.
Even though Poseidon is adored for giving humans the first horse, his
primary importance was as Lord of the Sea. Winds rose at his command and
the most violent of storms would ensue, yet when he drove his golden
chariot over the water, the storms would subside and calmness followed
his wheels.
Poseidon is a very powerful and intimidating deity, second only to Zeus
himself in influence. The early importance of Poseidon is evident in the
ancient poet Homer's epic poem called the Odyssey, wherein Poseidon,
rather than Zeus, is the major mover of events.
Even though Poseidon had a magnificent palace on the ocean floor made of
coral and gems, still he spent a considerable amount of his time
participating in the daily intrigues, and partying at Olympus, home of
the ancient gods. He liked to stay in the loop, so to speak.
Titan Cronus had been warned by the oracles that one of his children
would overthrow him, so he would swallow his babies as Rhea birthed
them. It is said that when Poseidon was born his mother declared to
Cronus that she had given birth to a horse, giving him a foal to swallow
rather than the child. She concealed Poseidon among a flock of lambs to
hide him from his father's evil reach.
Later she would pull the same stunt when Zeus was born, in his place
giving Cronus a stone wrapped in baby clothes to swallow.
Other writers claim that Poseidon was swallowed by his father along with
siblings Hestia, Hera, Hades and Demeter, and that Zeus alone escaped
that horrible fate.
Poseidon's nurse while young was Arne, who was born as a foal because
her mother had been transformed into a horse as a disguise. She was
returned to human form and cared for the hidden god. Arne displayed
great fortitude when, at great peril to herself, she denied knowing
where Poseidon was when Cronus came looking him.
In images, Poseidon has been portrayed as an older man with a beard and
long curly hair. His wife is the beautiful Amphitrite, granddaughter of
the Titan Oceanus, who was the original god of the sea prior to
Poseidon.
Poseidon once took part in a plot by the rest of the Olympians to
overthrow their leader Zeus. Along with Hera, Athena and others, they
stole Zeus' thunderbolts and rendered him immobile with chains. The
Oceanid Thetis freed him with the assistance of the giant Hecatoncheire
(one-hundred-handed) called Briareus, and needless to say, Zeus was not
happy with his fellow gods.
As punishment, Zeus stripped the gods of their divinity and banished
Poseidon and Apollo to earth, where they were tasked with fortifying the
huge walls of mighty Troy. The two gods took the likeness of men and
performed the task, but upon completion the Trojan King Laomedon refused
to pay their wages. Bad move, King!
The enraged Apollo unleashed a pestilence upon the city, while Poseidon
sent a sea monster to snatch away the people of the plain. The oracles
foretold deliverance from these evils if King Laomedon would sacrifice
his daughter called Hesione, to be devoured by the sea monster. The King
exposed her by fastening Hesione to the rocks near the sea, but luckily
the great hero Heracles (Hercules) happened to pass by and rescued the
helpless maiden.
Once there was a dispute between Poseidon and Athena as to who had
patronage of the lands and cities of the area called Troezen. Zeus
intervened before things got too ugly and ordered them to hold the city
in common, avoiding further conflict.
Things did not work out as well for Poseidon during another disagreement
with Athena, this time over the region of Attica. Both the gods wanted
patronage of the mighty city, so there was a competition to determine
the winner. Poseidon struck a mighty blow with his Trident and a well of
sea water sprung up near the Acropolis. Very impressive but not very
practical.
Wise Athena planted an olive tree, her gift to the citizens. KIng
Cecrops and the Olympians ruled that Athena's gift was more fitting
(duh!) and thus she was granted patronage and the city was named Athens
in honor of the great goddess.
Needless to say, Poseidon was livid. In retaliation he flooded Attica,
causing great distress. Others claim that rather it was Zeus who
adjudged Athens to Athena, and that Hermes expressly forbade Poseidon to
flood the countryside.
In either case, at the shrine of Erechtheus in Athens, for a long time
there remained preserved an olive tree and a pool of salt water as
reminders of the epic judgment.
Poseidon set eyes on the Oceanid Amphitrite, daughter of Nereus and
Doris, and wanted her as his wife. Distraught and unwilling, she ran
away to Atlas, where she tried to hide from the god of the sea. Enamored
Poseidon dispatched many to look for her, among them a man named Delphin.
After much searching and wandering, Delphin located Amphitrite and
managed to persuade her to marry Poseidon, convincing her that the god's
love was sincere. He delivered the beautiful maiden to Poseidon's palace
and even took upon himself to organize a lavish wedding. In appreciation
for his efforts, Poseidon placed the Dolphin among the constellations.
Poseidon could be generous, but he could also be vindictive, as
witnessed by his flooding of Attica. A righteous man named Hierax chose
to devote himself to the goddess Demeter rather than to Poseidon, so the
sea god unleashed a terrible sea monster against the Teucrians, Hierax's
folk.
Another time, vain Queen Cassiopea of Aetheopia boasted that she was
better and more beautiful than the Nereids, who were underwater
attendants to Poseidon and Amphitrite. The boasts really ticked off the
Nereids, so they beseeched Poseidon to punish the Queen.
Poseidon sent a sea monster named Cetus, and a flood, to devastate the
land. Oracles declared that this calamity would only end if Princess
Andromeda, daughter to Cepheus and Cassiopea, was sacrificed to the sea
monster. Luckily for Andromeda, the great hero Perseus, flying by on the
winged horse Pegasus fresh from slaying Medusa, killed the sea monster,
rescued the beautiful maiden and made her his wife.
Poseidon had a plethora of children with a variety of women, mortal and
otherwise, including the famed hero Theseus. Not all his offspring were
human, however - Poseidon once pursued the Olympian goddess Demeter, who
spurned his advances, even turning herself into a mare so she could hide
among a herd of horses.
Seeing through her ruse, Poseidon transformed into a stallion and was
able to capture her. The result of their union was a horse named Arion,
magically capable of human speech.
It was Poseidon who caused Medusa to turn into a hideous monster.
Catching sight of the then-gorgeous maiden, Poseidon had his way with
her, against her wishes, on the floor of the temple of Athena. As
punishment Medusa was then changed by Athena into a monster with snakes
for hair, whose mere glance would turn a man into stone.
Perhaps Athena should have punished Poseidon instead!
When the hero Perseus beheaded Medusa, Pegasus and Chrysaor emerged from
her neck. The wondrous winged horse Pegasus played a role in countless
myths, while brother Crysaor was depicted as a handsome young man, son
of Poseidon and Medusa. It was said he became King of Iberia.
In Homer's Iliad, the epic myth about the Trojan War, Poseidon
takes the side of the Greeks, on several occasions taking an active part
in the battles against the Trojans. To be fair, he does rescue the
Trojan named Aeneas, however, when the prince is wounded by the Greek
warrior Achilles.
In Homer's Odyssey, Poseidon goes to great lengths to hinder
Odysseus' efforts to get back home to Ithaca, because the hero blinded
his son, the Cyclops Polyphemus. Poseidon's spite prevented the Trojan
War hero's return to his wife Penelope for ten torturous years.
Poseidon was nearly always accompanied by another son, Triton, who was
half man, half fish. Triton would blow on his seashell to announce
mighty Poseidon's arrival.
Poseidon's golden chariot was pulled by a team of Hippocamp(us), which
are seahorses, or horses that could ride on the sea.
Both the bull and the horse are associated with Poseidon, but the bull
is linked with many other gods as well, so the horse can be considered
his animal.
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POSEIDON BY ALYANA
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