Poseidon

POSEIDON

(Roman - Neptune)

Poseidon was the ruler of the sea, and a powerful god in Greek mythology who was often called the "Earth-shaker." His father was the Titan Cronus, who at the time was ruler of the Universe, and his mother was Rhea. Cronus was a paranoid ruler, because it had been prophesized that one of his own sons would dethrone him, just as Cronus had done to his father, Uranus.

Thus, Cronus would swallow the children whom Rhea bore him. He figured that it was the safest way to ensure that none of his offspring overthrew him.

One by one, the children were swallowed by Cronus: first Hestia, then Demeter, Hera, Hades and Poseidon. (Some mythographers claim that Rhea tricked Cronus by presenting a foal instead of the baby Poseidon for consumption, but most agree that Poseidon had been swallowed like the rest of his siblings.)

Needless to say, this constant swallowing of her children enraged Rhea. She bore her third son, Zeus, in the middle of the night and gave him for safekeeping to Gaea (Mother Earth). She fooled Cronus into believing he had swallowed his new son by substituting a rock wrapped in baby blankets.

When Zeus grew up, and with the help of Gaea and his mother Rhea, he slipped Cronus a potion that made the Titan disgorge the swallowed children. Being gods, they were unharmed, albeit a tad dazed and confused. With Zeus serving as their leader, Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Demeter and Hera waged war against the Titans for supremacy of the Universe.

Assisted by the Cyclops (they gave Zeus his thunderbolts, Poseidon his trident and Hades his helmet of invisibility) and the Hecatoncheires (the Hundred-handed-ones), the siblings fought a terrible war that lasted ten years. In the end they were victorious, banishing their vanquished foes to the deepest depths of the Underworld, called Tartarus. This dark and woeful place is as far beneath the earth as heaven is above the earth. Around Tartarus runs a fence of bronze with gates of bronze, which Poseidon fixed in such as way as to offer no escape, and there the Titans were forever confined.

After Zeus, with his brothers and sisters, defeated the Titans and dethroned Cronus, the three brothers drew lots out of a helmet to determine which one of the three realms each would rule. Zeus won the heavens and thus became the supreme ruler, Hades got the Underworld and Poseidon got the sea. The Earth remained common to all three.

Poseidon was very powerful, second only to Zeus himself. Equal to Zeus in dignity, though not in power, he was reputed to be a surly and quarrelsome figure.

Poseidon at once got busy constructing a magnificent palace beneath the sea, off Aegae in Euboea. Splendid white chariot horses with brazen hooves and golden manes lived in the palace's spacious stables and an awesome golden chariot was always ready to transport the sea god about. At the approach of Poseidon's chariot, storms and foul weather would cease, and sea monsters would rise from the depths, playfully frisking around it like friendly dolphins.

As wonderful as his underwater palace was, Poseidon still spent much of his time participating in the festivities in Olympus with the other gods.

Poseidon's wife was Amphitrite, granddaughter of the titan Oceanus. At first Poseidon courted Thetis the Nereid because she was beautiful and was already accustomed to the sea-depths. But when the respected Titan Themis prophesized that any son born to Thetis would be greater than his father, wisely he backed off and looked elsewhere for a wife.

Next he approached Amphitrite, another Nereid, who wanted nothing to do with Poseidon. For whatever reason, she was turned-off by the god of the sea and fled to the Atlas Mountains in order to escape his advances.

Not to be denied, Poseidon sent messengers all over the earth to look for her. Eventually, after much wandering, a man named Delphinus located Amphitrite and was so convincing in pleading Poseidon's case and his love for her, that at last she yielded and agreed to the marriage. Delphinus himself organized the entire wedding and a splendid party it was!

A grateful Poseidon set the image of Delphinus among the stars as a constellation, the Dolphin.

The union of Poseidon and Amphitrite produced three children: Triton, Rhode and Benthesicyme. But, like his brother Zeus, Poseidon wasn't a very faithful husband and engaged in numerous affairs with goddesses, nymphs, and even mortals.

Understandably jealous, Amphitrite punished many of her husband's lovers, just like Hera did to her husband Zeus' women. She was particularly upset with Poseidon's infatuation with Scylla, gorgeous daughter of Phorcys, and was determined to punish her indiscretion. Amphitrite threw magical herbs into Scylla's bathing pool, and when the woman took her bath, at once she transformed into a barking monster with six heads and twelve feet.

Poseidon was never fully satisfied with his share of the world and once even conspired with other Olympians to dethrone Zeus. But his plot was discovered and in punishment Zeus exiled him to earth. There he was to build the walls of Troy for king Laomedon. He was helped by Apollo, who was also banished from Olympus at that time.

The two Olympian gods assumed the likeness of men and undertook to fortify Troy for wages. Apollo was able to move the heaviest of stones with just the sound of his lyre. But when they had fortified it and the task was completed, the foolish king Laomedon would not pay their wages. Therefore Apollo sent a pestilence, and Poseidon sent a Sea-monster, which snatched away the people of the plain.

The oracles foretold deliverance from these calamities if Laomedon would expose the maiden Hesione to be devoured by Poseidon's Sea-monster. Not knowing what else to do, the king followed the oracles' advice and fastened her to the rocks near the sea, but at the last moment, the greatest Greek hero, Heracles (Hercules), saved her and she married Telamon.

Getting stiffed for his wages was also the chief reason why Poseidon was on the Greek side during the Trojan War.

Poseidon on a Sea-monster

Many more Sea-monsters were unleashed by Poseidon to exact vengeance: Poseidon sent a Sea-monster against the Teucrians because Hierax, a righteous man, was devoted to Demeter and would not honor Poseidon. When Queen Cassiopeia boasted of being better than the Nereids, the water nymphs became angry and asked Poseidon to intervene. The wrathful god sent a flood and yet another Sea-monster to invade the land. Andromeda