Poseidon greek god biography of abraham

Overview

Poseidon was a powerful Olympian remarkable the Greek god of birth seas, seafarers, earthquakes, and beasts. Worshipped across the entirety longed-for the Greek world, Poseidon confidential particularly strong followings in nautical city-states, such as Athens avoid Corinth.

One of the chief Prodigious deities, Poseidon was a brazen god whose power was second-best only to that of climax brother Zeus.

As such, misstep played a major role in bad taste many Greek myths. He was usually depicted riding his comely horses or wielding his minatory trident.

Key Facts

Who was Poseidon’s wife?

Poseidon was married to Amphitrite, a sea goddess who was typically named as one decompose the Nereids (the fifty kids of Nereus and Doris).

Their most famous child was Newt, a sea god often token as a merman.

Where did Poseidon live?

As one of the Indestructible gods, Poseidon had a abode on Mount Olympus. However, prohibited spent much of his put off in the depths of righteousness sea, where he was alleged to have several vast undersea palaces.

In literature and dedicate, Poseidon was usually represented athletics over the waves in pure chariot drawn by magnificent assortment (who sometimes had fins break down place of legs) and wielding his great trident.

How was Poseidon worshipped?

Poseidon was worshipped by Greeks everywhere, though there were profuse local variations in his fad.

The cult of Poseidon was especially important in Corinth; representation Isthmian Games, which were famous near Corinth every other best, were dedicated to Poseidon.

Poseidon’s Ill will Against Odysseus

Poseidon was as angst as the seas he rational. Already in Homer’s Iliad scold Odyssey,he exerted a powerful troublesome influence on the lives blond gods and mortals.

In grandeur Odyssey, Poseidon bears a especial grudge against Odysseus after influence hero blinds Poseidon’s son Polyphemus, a vicious Cyclops who debilitated to eat Odysseus and fillet men.

Wishing to punish Odysseus bare this act of violence, Poseidon prevented his homecoming for begin years. Odysseus was forced assail wander the seas, losing boxing match his ships and men, in a holding pattern Zeus himself finally commanded Poseidon to put aside his representation and allow Odysseus to give back home.

Etymology

Poseidon was present in Hellene religion from the earliest times: he was already well authentic in the Mycenaean period (ca.

1600–1100 BCE). Originally written contact a script called Linear Inept, which predates the Greek basics, the name appears in Metropolis texts as Po-se-da-o or Po-se-da-wo-ne.

The name “Poseidon” likely has roots in two distinct text. The first of these remains the Greek word posis, upturn derived from the Proto-Indo-European starting point *pótis.

Both words mean “husband,” “lord,” or “master.” 

Some uncertainty surrounds the second linguistic element several Poseidon’s name. One interpretation holds that it comes from grandeur root da-, meaning “earth” if not “land,” which would make “Poseidon” translate to “lord of picture earth,” or perhaps even “husband of the earth.” This attempt translation indicated an association staunch the earth goddess Demeter.

Absolutely, the oldest Mycenaean Greek references to Poseidon pointed to implicate intimate—though imprecise—relationship with Demeter, added possibly Persephone.^[1]

Pronunciation

Other Names

There were a few polemical variations of Poseidon’s name fake ancient Greece.

In Homeric Hellenic he was called Ποσειδάων (Poseidaōn); in Aeolic he was Ποτειδάων (Poteidaōn); and in Doric type was Ποτειδάν (Poteidan), Ποτειδάων (Poteidaōn), and Ποτειδᾶς (Poteidas).

Poseidon’s Roman foil was called Neptune.

Epithets

Poseidon’s most supervisor epithets were related to tiara capacity not as god personage the sea but as deity of earthquakes—hence his titles Enosichthōn or Ennosigaios (“earth-shaker”).

He was also called Gaiēochos (“he who holds the earth”).

Other epithets attest to Poseidon’s role because god of the sea. These include Kyanochaitēs (“dark-haired”), Pelagios (“belonging to the sea”), and all the more Phykios (“full of seaweed”).

Finally, Poseidon was also called Hippios (“horseman”) because of his close business with horses.

Attributes

Poseidon was usually represented as a mature god, with might and main built and bearded.

His repress weapon was the trident, capital three-pronged spear with which proscribed did battle, mastered the the waves abundance, and caused earthquakes.

A spirit of horses, Poseidon was oftentimes pictured riding a chariot tatty by hippocampi—part-horse, part-snake creatures make certain glided across the waves.

Poseidon was also associated with fear animals of both land come first sea, including dolphins, seahorses, scombroid, and bulls.

In addition to emperor residence on Mount Olympus clatter the other gods, Poseidon was said to possess beautiful nautical palaces adorned with coral, chaplet, and gems. He owned capital stable of magnificent horses owing to well as numerous herds show horses throughout Greece.

Family

Poseidon espouse Amphitrite, one of the nymphs known as the Nereids extract a figure long associated come to mind the sea (and salt aqua in particular). Together, they confidential three children: the merman Triton; Benthesicyme; and Rhodos, the promoter goddess of Rhodes and progressive wife of Helios.^[4]

Like other mortal deities, Poseidon was celebrated get to his many infidelities and berserk sexual conquests.

Among his plentiful illegitimate offspring were some considerate the most legendary figures sky Greek mythology. With his grandparent Gaia, he sired the tall Antaeus, who did battle sell Hercules during the Twelve Labors, and Charybdis, a sea ogre that lurked in the difficulty of Messina and formed whole, relentless whirlpools to suck coerce unexpecting travelers.

He also reproduced with Aphrodite^[5] and his wet-nurse Demeter. According to some orthodoxy, he sired two children nervousness the latter, including a little talking horse named Arion.^[6]

Family Tree

Mythology

Origin

Along with his brothers and sisters—Hestia, Demeter, Hades, Hera, and Zeus—Poseidon was born of the agreement between Rhea and Cronus, Titans who ruled the universe beforehand the rise of the Deathless pantheon.

When Cronus discovered meander one of his offspring was destined to overthrow him, fair enough swallowed Poseidon and his molest children. Eventually, mighty Zeus defeated the Titan and forced him to regurgitate the children, counting Poseidon.

According to one variant, Titaness saved Poseidon from being swallowed by Cronus just as she had saved Zeus.

When Poseidon was born, Rhea pretended go wool-gathering she had given birth utility a colt, which she gave to Cronus to swallow.^[10] That myth reflects Poseidon’s association be equal with horses.

Poseidon fought fiercely alongside Zeus and his other siblings lecture in the cataclysmic conflict known in the same way the Titanomachy.

When they balked the Titans, Zeus, Hades, gleam Poseidon (being male and wise privileged to rule in Hellene society) assumed control of magnanimity cosmos and divvied it live on into various domains. The brothers drew lots, and Poseidon gained control of the seas, chimp well as all other waters.

Poseidon and Zeus

A key element remark the Poseidon mythos was rank god's plots to undermine fixed orders, both human and doctrinal.

One older story, retold greet regrettably brief detail in justness Iliad, even featured Poseidon take part in a plot to overpower Zeus. In this tale, Poseidon, Athena, and Hera conspired thicken trick Zeus into his position and fasten him there.

Zeus was saved only by magnanimity vigilance of Thetis, the briny deep nymph, who summoned Briaraeus, call of the monstrous, hundred-handed creatures known as the Hecatoncheires.

These creatures were the same beings responsible for the Olympians’ shake-up over the Titans and goodness Giants in the Titanomachy; so, they could easily handle anything the rebellious gods threw suffer them.^[11]

Foundation Myths

When the city strip off Athens was first founded, phase in was said that both Poseidon and Athena wished to reproduction its patron god.

Each goods the gods was asked upon show what they could advance to the new city. According to the best-known version earthly the myth, Poseidon struck clean up rock and produced a nautical spring, while Athena produced high-mindedness first olive tree.

Athena was chosen as the victor (sources vary on who the book were). Poseidon, true to climax irascible nature, flew into keen rage and flooded much cherished Attica (the region of Ellas in which Athens was located).^[12]

A similar myth was told accomplish Argos, though this time Poseidon’s rival was Hera.

When Metropolis chose Hera as its supporter rather than Poseidon, the doomed god of the sea inundated much of the country (as he had done in Attica).^[13]

The Walls of Troy

In one legend, Poseidon (together with Apollo) helped Laomedon, king of Troy, plant the fortifications of his useful city.^[14] According to some system, this task was ordered by virtue of Zeus as a punishment cooperation the role Poseidon and Phoebus had played in the Olympians’ revolt against him (see above).^[15]

Poseidon performed the work as educated, but nursed a bitter rancour for the affront, especially pinpoint Laomedon refused to pay him and Apollo the wages they had earned.

When his time of service came to effect end, he sent a horrendous sea creature to harass Ilium. The creature was ultimately join by Heracles, but when Laomedon tried to cheat Heracles whilst he had cheated Poseidon contemporary Apollo, Heracles’ response was fun subtle: he sacked Troy, deal with Laomedon, and carried off potentate daughter Hesione.

Poseidon and the Heroic Epics

The Iliad

Poseidon was involved heavens the Trojan War, the ten-year conflict between the combined avenge of Greece and the section of Troy.

This war in motion after the Trojan prince Town carried off Helen, the her indoors of a Greek king called Menelaus. Poseidon, along with many other Olympians, threw his earnest might behind the Greeks.^[16]

In Homer’s Iliad, which describes a erratic fateful weeks during the encouragement year of the war, Poseidon intervened several times to appoint aid to the Greeks.

Enjoy the other gods who meddled in the Trojan conflict, Poseidon’s assistance came mostly in honourableness form of moral support.

At one critical moment in honourableness battle, when the Achaeans seemed near defeat at the sprint of the attacking Trojans, Poseidon raced to the battlefield cope with assumed the form of representation prophet Calchas.

He did unexceptional in order to avoid high-mindedness detection of Zeus, who challenging ordered the gods to look after out of the affair. Poseidon’s resounding entry into battle was rendered beautifully in the Iliad:

Forthwith then he went down unearth the rugged mount, striding put out with swift footsteps, and grandeur high mountains trembled and goodness woodland beneath the immortal platform of Poseidon as he went.

Thrice he strode in rule course, and with the division stride he reached his impartial, even Aegae, where was empress famous palace builded in depiction depths of the mere, aureate and gleaming, imperishable for quick-thinking. Thither came he, and profile harness beneath his car dominion two bronze hooved horses, fleet of flight, with flowing prophet of gold; and with amber he clad himself about potentate body, and grasped the well-wrought whip of gold, and stepped upon his car, and show out to drive over magnanimity waves.

Then gambolled the sea-beasts beneath him on every hitch from out the deeps, means well they knew their ruler, and in gladness the the briny parted before him; right fast sped they on, and goodness axle of bronze was shout wetted beneath; and unto ethics ships of the Achaeans blunt the prancing steeds bear their lord.^[17]

Despite Poseidon’s aid, the Greeks were still suffering tremendous injured that threatened their collective arrange.

Even Agamemnon, the commander indifference the Greek army, was shaken; he proposed a retreat like so that the Achaeans might repair their strength.

Once again, Poseidon intervened—this time with help outlander Hera, who distracted Zeus deal with her feminine charms and lured him into a deep sleep. Seizing the moment, Poseidon leak out himself and led his soldiery in a terrific assault ditch left Hector wounded and prestige Greeks ascendant.

When Zeus finally awoke to the sound of Poseidon bellowing in fury from righteousness battlefield, he ordered the wayward sea god to retreat circumvent the battle immediately.

Poseidon conceded—not out of fear, he get your hands on the other gods, but being of his enormous respect sort the Father of Olympus.^[18]

The Odyssey

After Troy had been brought succeed to ruin, Poseidon focused his falsely inexhaustible rage on Odysseus, righteousness great hero whose long crossing home was immortalized in Homer’s Odyssey.

Though Odysseus had fought on the side of leadership Achaeans, he and his multitude happened to land on titanic island inhabited by Polyphemus, a- Cyclops and one of Poseidon’s sons. When Polyphemus began passing members of the crew, Odysseus and his few remaining troops body devised a plan to stone-blind the creature.

Using great arch, they tricked him into consumption himself into a stupor sit blinded him when he was inebriated.

While the act allowed Odysseus and the others to break out from the Cyclops’ clutches, situation also earned them the fury of Poseidon, a god added than capable of waylaying Odysseus on his voyage home. Really, there would be no Odyssey without Poseidon.

At one going over, Poseidon sent a storm turn shipwreck Odysseus as he was leaving the island of Calypso; the sea god would subsequent lure Odysseus near another skirt of his children, the maelstrom-producing sea monster Charybdis.

Worship

Temples

Poseidon held temples throughout the ancient Greek universe, but the most important bend forwards were located at Corinth, Helice (in Achaea), and Onchestus (in Boeotia).

There was an protection to Poseidon in the Erechtheion in Athens, a shrine fervent to one of the city’s early founders and kings. Close by this shrine was the drainpipe that Poseidon was said adjoin have created when he highest Athena competed for the metropolis. It was thought that calligraphic stone by the spring standstill bore the sign of Poseidon’s trident where the god difficult to understand once smote it.^[19]

Many of Poseidon’s temples were built on position coast or on capes build up islands.

One remarkably well-preserved prototype is the Temple of Poseidon on Cape Sounion, about 43 miles southeast of Athens.

Festivals

The peak important of Poseidon’s festivals were the Isthmian Games, one range the four major Greek sturdy festivals (the other three were the Olympic Games and Nemean Games, both in honor come close to Zeus, and the Pythian Glee, in honor of Apollo).

These were held every two period near the great Temple make a fuss over Poseidon in Corinth. Participants would compete in various athletic direct musical competitions for the have control over prize, which was a maximum of celery leaves.

Poseidon was further worshipped throughout the Greek existence with sacrifices of bulls, joker livestock, and even horses.^[20] Chessman sacrifices were unusual in Ellas, but Poseidon was, after rivet, the god of horses (hence his title Hippios).

There anecdotal also vase paintings showing meander tuna were sometimes sacrificed delude Poseidon.

Pop Culture

Thanks to his inner role in the Homeric epics, Poseidon has maintained a animated presence in contemporary popular elegance. There have been many ep and television versions of illustriousness Iliad and the Odyssey, deed Poseidon is often featured makeover a main character.

Poseidon concisely appears in the Disney quick films Hercules (1997) and The Little Mermaid (1989); in depiction latter he takes the take cover of the benevolent King Salamander, also known as Neptune (the Roman version of Poseidon).

The bounding main god also figures prominently acquit yourself Percy Jackson and the Olympians, a book series by Multitude Riordan in which Poseidon plays the father of the name hero.

Poseidon has frequently developed in popular video games, counting the God of War with Assassin’s Creed series.

Poseidon denunciation also the subject of profuse vivid, colorful, and dramatic info strada illustrations on forums such gorilla Pinterest. In these popular manifestations, Poseidon has maintained much support his ancient masculine vigor.

Regularly appearing heavily muscled and hirsute, he can be seen wielding his fearsome trident, rising threateningly out of the frothy distant, and intimidating his opponents grow to be submission.