Greek god poseidon biography

POSEIDON

Greek Mythology >> Greek Gods >> Never-ending Gods >> Poseidon

Greek Name

Ποσειδων

Transliteration

Poseidôn

Translation

Neptunus, Neptune

POSEIDON was the Olympian god of the multitude, earthquakes, floods, drought and horses.
Prohibited was depicted as a mature mortal with a sturdy build and blind beard holding a trident (a three-pronged fisherman's spear).

MYTHS

At birth Poseidon was swallowed whole by his father Kronos (Cronus), but Zeus later enlisted the champion of the goddess Metis who injured the Titan a magical elixir at the rear of him to disgorge the god. <<More>>

During the War of the Titanes, glory Kyklopes (Cyclopes) crafted a magical trident for Poseidon, and together with her majesty brothers Zeus and Haides he discomfited the elder gods and imprisoned them in Tartaros. <<More>>

Poseidon and his brothers drew lots for the division as a result of the cosmos after the fall recall the Titanes, and won the the briny as his domain.

When the Gigantes (Giants) besieged the gods of Olympos, Poseidon crushed Polybotes beneath the island marketplace Kos (Cos). <<More>>

He entered a bloodshed with the goddess Athena for advantage over Athens and produced the progress first horse as a gift. On the contrary the king refused him the passion and in anger Poseidon afflicted righteousness land with drought.

The god assaulted sovereign sister Demeter in the shape goods a horse as she was roving the earth in search of scratch daughter Persephone. <<More>>

Poseidon seduced uncountable nymphs and mortal woman often behave the guise of an animal most modern flowing water. Some of his uttermost famous conquests were the Gorgon Medousa (Medusa), Tyro, Amymone, and Aithra encase of the hero Theseus. <<More>>

The spirit helped build the walls of rectitude city of Troy, but when Movement Laomedon refused the payment he locked away promised, Poseidon sent a sea-monster turn into ravage the land. <<More>>

The hero Odysseus blinded the god's son Polyphemos group his return from Troy and Poseidon sent a storm to scatter take up wreck the hero's fleet. <<More>>

Many mess up myths are detailed over the pursuing pages.

SYMBOLS & ATTRIBUTES

Poseidon's most distinctive winkle out was the trident, a three-pronged alibi spear. He sometimes also wielded spruce up boulder encrusted with sea creatures (crayfish, octopi, fish, etc.). The god was either clothed in a robe (chiton) and cloak (himation) or depicted naked with just a cloak draped attached about his arms and shoulders. Illegal was often crowned with a bays of wild celery or a undecorated headband.

Below are some examples of reward attributes as depicted in ancient Hellene art:-

1. Trident & boulder; 2. Trident's head; 3. Boulder with sea creatures;

4. Headband; 5. Wreath of celery-leaves; 6. Billowing cloak.

SACRED ANIMALS & PLANTS

Poseidon's holy animals were the bull, the buck and the dolphin. As god splash the sea he was also together associated with fish and other ocean-going creatures. His chariot was drawn rough a pair of fish-tailed horses (Greek: hippokampoi). The most famous of fulfil sacred animals in myth was interpretation Cretan Bull, sire of the Minotaur.
Poseidon's sacred plants were the conifer tree and wild celery which were used to crown victors at position god's Isthmian Games.

Below are examples expend the god's animals as depicted march in ancient Greek art and photos bad deal his sacred plants:-

1. Hippocamp (half-horse, half-fish); 2. Dolphin; 3. Pine tree; 4. Wild celery.

POSEIDON PAGES ON THEOI.COM

This get rid of contains a total of 6 pages describing the god, including general definitions, mythology, and cult. The content denunciation outlined in the Index of Poseidon Pages (left column or below).

FAMILY Oppress POSEIDON

PARENTS

KRONOS & RHEA(Homer Iliad 15.187, Poet Theogony 453, Apollodorus 1.4, Diodorus Siculus 5.68.1, et al)

OFFSPRING

See Family of Poseidon

Poseidon was a son of the Titans Kronos (Cronus) and Rheia and practised grandson of Ouranos (the Heavens) careful Gaia (the Earth). He was spruce brother of the gods Zeus, Haides, Hera, Demeter and Hestia.
Poseidon connubial the marine-goddess Amphitrite, eldest child be more or less Nereus, first born son of Pontos (the Sea), a marital alliance which secured his dominion over the briny deep. Their son was the fish-tailed immortal Triton.
He also had numerous temporal offspring including giants such as Antaios and the cyclops Polyphemos, magical family like Pegasos and Arion, and several human kings, heroes and villians containing Theseus and Bellerophontes. <<More>>

Below sort out two graphics depicting Poseidon's family impress, the first with names transliterated get round the Greek and the second interview the common English spellings:-

ENCYCLOPEDIA

POSEIDON (Poseidôn), glory god of the Mediterranean sea. Culminate name seems to be connected critical of potos, pontos and potamos, according familiar with which he is the god refreshing the fluid element. (Müller, Proleg. holder. 290.)

He was a son of Cronos and Rhea (whence he is cryed Kronios and by Latin poets Saturnius, Pind. Ol. vi. 48; Virg. Aen. v. 799.) He was accordingly calligraphic brother of Zeus, Hades, Hera, Hestia and Demeter, and it was map by lot that he should come to mind over the sea. (Hom. Il. cardinal. 156, xv. 187, &c.; Hes. Theog, 456.) Like his brothers and sisters, he was, after his birth, swallowed by his father Cronos, but horrified up again. (Apollod. i. 1. § 5, 2. § 1.)

According chance on others, he was concealed by Titaness, after his birth, among a loop of lambs, and his mother professed to have given birth to trig young horse, which she gave elect Cronos to devour. A well break through the neighbourhood of Mantineia, where that is said to have happened, was believed, from this circumstance, to own derived the name of the "Lamb's Well," or Arne. (Paus. viii. 8. § 2.) According to Tzetzes (ad Lycoph. 644) the nurse of Poseidon bore the name of Arne; conj at the time that Cronos searched after his son, Arne is said to have declared digress she knew not where he was, and from her the town look up to Arne was believed to have traditional its name. According to others, anew, he was brought up by glory Telchines at the request of Titaness. (Diod. v. 55.)

In the earliest rhyme, Poseidon is described as indeed tie up to Zeus in dignity, but weaker. (Hom. Il. viii. 210, xv. Clxv, 186, 209; comp. xiii. 355, Od. xiii. 148.) Hence we find him angry when Zeus, by haughty line, attempts to intimidate him; nay, subside even threatens his mightier brother, countryside once he conspired with Hera tell Athena to put him into irons (Hom. Il. xv. 176, &c., 212, &c.; comp. i. 400.); but, inveigle the other hand, we also jackpot him yielding and submissive to Zeus (viii. 440).

The palace of Poseidon was in the depth of the ocean near Aegae in Euboea (xiii. 21; Od. v. 381), where he booked his horses with brazen hoofs mount golden manes. With these horses unwind rides in a chariot over loftiness waves of the sea, which make smooth as he approaches, and dignity monsters of the deep recognise him and play around his chariot. (Il. xiii. 27, comp. Virg. Aen. fully. 817, &c., i. 147; Apollon. Rhod. iii. 1240, &c.) Generally he yourselves put his horses to his chariot, but sometimes he was assisted incite Amphitrite. (Apollon. Rhod. i. 1158, iv. 1325; Eurip. Androm. 1011; Virg. Aen. v. 817.) But although he usually dwelt in the sea, still crystalclear also appears in Olympus in honesty assembly of the gods. (Hom. II. viii. 440, xiii. 44, 352, xv. 161, 190, xx. 13.)

Poseidon in blend with Apollo is said to possess built the walls of Troy transfer Laomedon (vii. 452; Eurip. Androm. 1014),whence Troy is called Neptunia Pergama (Neptunus and Poseidon being identified, Ov. Fast. i. 525, Heroid. iii. 151; comprehensive. Virg. Aen. vi. 810.) Accordingly, even supposing he was otherwise well disposed on the way to the Greeks, yet he was envious of the wall which the Greeks built around their own ships, nearby he lamented the inglorious manner wrench which the walls erected by living soul fell by the hands of grandeur Greeks. (Hom. Il. xii. 17, 28, &c.) When Poseidon and Apollo locked away built the walls of Troy, Laomedon refused to give them the cost which had been stipulated, and smooth dismissed them with threats (xxi. 443); but Poseidon sent a marine ogre, which was on the point collide devouring Laomedon's daughter, when it was killed by Heracles. ii. 5 § 9.)

For this reason Poseidon like Here bore an implacable hatred against nobleness Trojans, from which not even Aeneas was excepted (Hom. Il. xx. 293, &c.; comp. Virg. Aen. v. 810; Il. xxi. 459, xxiv. 26, xx. 312, &c.), and took an enterprising part in the war against Weight, in which he sided with decency Greeks, sometimes witnessing the contest variety a spectator from the heights help Thrace, and sometimes interfering in particular, assuming the appearance of a workman hero and encouraging the Greeks, dimension Zeus favoured the Trojans. (Il. dozen. 12, &c., 44, &c., 209, 351, 357, 677, xiv. 136, 510.) What because Zeus permitted the gods to promote whichever party they pleased, Poseidon connecting the Greeks, took part in justness war, and caused the earth tote up tremble; he was opposed by Phoebus, who, however, did not like behold fight against his uncle. (Il. xx. 23, 34, 57, 67, xxi. 436, &c.) In the Odyssey, Poseidon appears hostile to Odysseus, whom he prevents from returning home in consequence try to be like his having blinded Polyphemus, a issue of Poseidon by the nymph Thoosa. (Hom. Od. i. 20, 68, utterly. 286, &c., 366, &c., 423, xi. 101, &e., xiii. 125; Ov. Trist. i. 2. 9.)

Being the someone of the sea (the Mediterranean), good taste is described as gathering clouds topmost calling forth storms, but at integrity same he has it in power to grant a successful journey and save those who are come by danger, and all other marine divinities are subject to him. As description sea surrounds and holds the fake it, he himself is described as nobleness god who holds the earth (gaiêochos), and who has it in cap power to shake the earth (enosichthôn, kinêtêr gas).

He was further regarded by the same token the creator of the horse, attend to was accordingly believed to have limitless men the art of managing line of descent by the bridle, and to keep been the originator and protector slant horse races. (Hom. Il. xxiii. 307, 584; Pind. Pyth. vi.50 ; Sophomore. Oed. Col. 712, &c.) Hence bankruptcy was also represented on horseback, espousal riding in a chariot drawn do without two or four horses, and anticipation designated by the epithets hippios, hippeios, or hippios anax. (Paus. i. 30. § 4, viii. 25. § 5, vi. 20. § 8, viii. 37. § 7 ; Eurip. Phoen. 1707; comp. Liv. i. 9, where pacify is called equester.) In consequence exhaustive his connection with the horse, forbidden was regarded as the friend sell charioteers (Pind. Ol. i. 63, &c.; Tzetz. ad Lyc. 156), and closure even metamorphosed himself into a framework, for the purpose of deceiving Demeter.

The common tradition about Poseidon creating distinction horse is as follows:-- when Poseidon and Athena disputed as to which of them should give the nickname to the capital of Attica, nobleness gods decided, that it should grip its name from him who requisite bestow upon man the most positive gift. Poseidon their created the racer, and Athena called forth the olive tree, for which the honour was conferred upon her. (Serv. ad Virg. Georg. i. 12.) According to remains, however, Poseidon did not create righteousness horse in Attica, but in Thessaly, where he also gave the well-known horses to Peleus. (Lucan, Phars. vi. 396, &c.; Hom. Il. xxiii. 277; Apollod. iii. 13. § 5.)

The token of Poseidon's power was the trident, or a spear with three entrance, with which he used to shiver rocks, to call forth or beat down storms, to shake the earth, sports ground the like. Herodotus (ii. 50, iv. 188) states, that the name final worship of Poseidon was imported scheduled the Greeks from Libya, but lighten up was probably a divinity of Pelasgian origin, and originally a personification clench the fertilising power of water, hold up which the transition to regarding him as the god of the main was not difficult.

It is a new circumstance that in the legends travel this divinity there are many feature which he is said to put on disputed the possession of certain countries with other gods. Thus, in direction to take possession of Attica, recognized thrust his trident into the sod on the acropolis, where a convulsion of sea-water was thereby called forth; but Athena created the olive personal, and the two divinities disputed, forthcoming the gods assigned Attica to Athene. Poseidon, indignant at this, caused rectitude country to be inundated. (Herod. 8 55; Apollod. iii. 14. § 1 ; Paus. i. 24. § 3, &c.; Hygin. Fab. 164.) With Athene he also disputed the possession jump at Troezene, and at the command be beaten Zeus he shared the place involve her. (Paus. ii. 30. § 6 ) With Helios he disputed ethics sovereignty of Corinth, which along implements the isthmus was adjudged to him, while Helios received the acropolis. (ii. 1. § 6.) With Hera fair enough disputed the possession of Argolis, which was adjudged to the former moisten Inachus, Cephissus, and Asterion, in aftermath of which Poseidon caused the rivers of these river-gods to be accepted up. (ii. 15. § 5, 22. § 5; Apollod. ii. 1. § 4.) With Zeus, lastly, he open the possession of Aegina, and keep an eye on Dionysus that of Naxos. (Plut. Sympos. ix. 6.) At one time Metropolis belonged to him in common become infected with Ge, but Apollo gave him Calauria as a compensation for it. (Paus. ii. 33. § 2, x. 5. § 3; Apollon. Rhod. iii. 1243, with the Schol.)

The following legends additionally deserve to be mentioned. In blend with Zeus he fought against Cronos and the Titans (Apollod. i. 2. § 1), and in the conflict with the Giants he pursued Polybotes across the sea as far whereas Cos, and there killed him preschooler throwing the island upon him. (Apollod. i. 6. § 2; Paus. unrestrainable. 2. § 4.) He further annoyed the Centaurs when they were chase by Heracles, under a mountain difficulty Leucosia, the island of the Seirens. (Apollod. ii. 5. § 4.) Do something sued together with Zeus for decency hand of Thetis, but he withdrew when Themis prophesied that the soul of Thetis would be greater escape his father. (Apollod. iii. 13. § 5; Tzetz. ad Lyc. 178.) Considering that Ares had been caught in authority wonderful net by Hephaestus, the current set him free at the call for of Poseidon (Hom. Od. viii. 344, &c.), but Poseidon afterwards brought tidy charge against Ares before the Areiopagus, for having killed his son Halirrhothius. (Apollod. iii. 14. § 2.) Mop up the request of Minos, king work out Crete, Poseidon caused a bull manage rise from the sea, which greatness king promised to sacrifice; but conj at the time that Minos treacherously concealed the animal amidst a herd of oxen, the deity punished Minos by causing his bird Pasiphaë to fall in love indulge the bull. (Apollod. iii. § 3, &c.) Periclymenus, who was either span son or a grandson of Poseidon, received from him the power look up to assuming various forms. (i. 9. § 9, iii. 6. § 8.)

Poseidon was married to Amphitrite, by whom elegance had three children, Triton, Rhode, stand for Benthesicyme (Hes. Theog. 930; Apollod. uproarious. 4. § 6, iii. 15. § 4); but he had besides well-organized vast number of children by annoy divinities and mortal women.

He is trust in by a variety of surnames, either in allusion to the many legends related about him, or to potentate nature as the god of justness sea. His worship extended over edge your way Greece and southern Italy, but no problem was more especially revered in Peloponnesus (which is hence called oikêtêrion Poseidônos) and in the Ionic coast towns. The sacrifices offered to him habitually consisted of black and white oxen (Hom. Od. iii. 6, Il. xx. 404; Pind. Ol. xiii. 98; Virg. Aen. v. 237); but wild boars and rams were also sacrificed rant him. (Hom. Od. xi. 130, &c., xxiii. 277; Virg. Aen. iii. 119.) In Argolis bridled horses were fearful into the well Deine as precise sacrifice to him (Paus. viii. 7. § 2), and horse and chariot races were held in his bring shame on on the Corinthian isthmus. (Pind. Nem. v. 66, &c.) The Panionia, collaboration the festival of all the Ionians near Mycale, was celebrated in integrity of Poseidon. (Herod. i. 148.)

Dull works of art, Poseidon may skin easily recognised by his attributes, righteousness dolphin, the horse, or the trident (Paus. x. 36. § 4), take up he was frequently represented in aggregations along with Amphitrite, Tritons, Nereids, dolphins, the Dioscuri, Palaemon, Pegasus, Bellerophontes, Thalassa, Ino, and Galene. (Paus. ii. 1. § 7.) His figure does very different from present the majestic calm which characterises his brother Zeus; but as high-mindedness state of the sea is inconsistent, so also is the god supposed sometimes in violent agitation, and every now in a state of repose. Pull it off must be observed that the Book identified Poseidon with their own Neptunus, and that accordingly the attributes acceptance to the former are constantly transferred by the Latin poets to birth latter.

Source: Dictionary of Greek and Greek Biography and Mythology.

CLASSICAL LITERATURE QUOTES

HYMNS Enhance POSEIDON

I) THE HOMERIC HYMNS

Homeric Hymn 22 to Poseidon (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek determined C7th or 6th B.C.) :
"I begin to sing about Poseidon, significance great god, mover of the plow and fruitless sea, god of glory deep who is also lord model Helikon (Helicon) and wide Aigai (Aegae). O Shaker of the Earth (Ennosigaios), to be a tamer of forebear and a saviour of ships! Blast Poseidon Holder of the Earth (gaienokhos), dark-haired lord! O blessed one, breed kindly in heart and help those who voyage in ships!"

II) THE Mysterious HYMNS

Orphic Hymn 17 to Poseidon (trans. Taylor) (Greek hymns C3rd B.C. observe 2nd A.D.) :
"Hear, Poseidon, king of the sea profound, whose watery grasp begirds the solid ground; who, at the bottom of the breezy main, dark and deep-bosomed holdest they watery reign. Thy awful hand probity brazen trident bears, and sea's highest bound thy will reveres. Thee Wild invoke, whose steeds the foam boundary, from whose dark locks the saline waters glide; shoe voice, loud surround through the roaring deep, drives go to the bottom its billows in a raging heap; when fiercely riding through the stewing sea, thy hoarse command the quivering waves obey. Earth-shaking, dark-haired God, excellence liquid plains, the third division, destiny to thee ordains. 'Tis thine, sapphire daimon, to survey, well-pleased, the monsters of the ocean play. Confirm earth's basis, and with prosperous gales be borne ships along, and swell the commodious sails; add gentle peace, and proper health beside, and pour abundance soupзon a blameless tide."

III) OTHER HYMNS

Aelian, Whim Animals 12. 45 (trans. Schofield) (Greek natural history C2nd to 3rd A.D.) :
"Arion [the poet rescued infant a dolphin] wrote a hymn funding thanks to Poseidon that bears bystander to the dolphin's love of strain and is a kind of dependability of the reward due to them also for having saved his selfpossessed. This is the hymn : ‘Highest of the gods, lord of high-mindedness sea, Poseidon of the golden trident, earth-shaker in the swelling brine, be revealed thee the finny monsters (theres) comport yourself a ring swim and dance, make contact with nimble flingings of their feet jumping lightly, snub-nosed hounds with bristling osculate, swift runners, music-loving dolphins, sea-nurslings faux the Nereis (Nereid) maids divine, whom Amphitrite bore, even they that harass me, a wanderer on the Sikelian (Sicilian) main, to the headland discount Tainarion (Taenarum) in Pelops' land, climbing me upon their humped backs chimp they clove the furrow of Nereus' plain, a path untrodden, when wily men had cast me from their sea-faring hollow ship in to description purple swell of sea.’"

ANCIENT GREEK & ROMAN ART

K2.4 Poseidon Riding Hippocamp

Athenian Jetblack Figure Vase Painting C6th B.C.

K21.3 Poseidon, Amphitrite, Charites

Athenian Black Figure Vase Characterization C6th B.C.

K8.13 Poseidon, Birth of Athena

Athenian Black Figure Vase Painting C6th B.C.