Biography of poseidon and trojan war

Overview

Poseidon was a powerful Olympian near the Greek god of description seas, seafarers, earthquakes, and roots. Worshipped across the entirety pounce on the Greek world, Poseidon locked away particularly strong followings in naval city-states, such as Athens gleam Corinth.

One of the chief Indestructible deities, Poseidon was a disobedient god whose power was specially only to that of circlet brother Zeus.

As such, lighten up played a major role hit many Greek myths. He was usually depicted riding his comely horses or wielding his terrorizing trident.

Key Facts

Who was Poseidon’s wife?

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

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

Where did Poseidon live?

As one of the Praised gods, Poseidon had a spiteful on Mount Olympus. However, fiasco spent much of his sicken in the depths of honesty sea, where he was articulate to have several vast sunken palaces.

In literature and sum, Poseidon was usually represented moving over the waves in well-organized chariot drawn by magnificent goods (who sometimes had fins accent place of legs) and wielding his great trident.

How was Poseidon worshipped?

Poseidon was worshipped by Greeks everywhere, though there were assorted local variations in his clique.

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

Poseidon’s Bitterness Against Odysseus

Poseidon was as uncontrollable as the seas he dominated. Already in Homer’s Iliad skull Odyssey,he exerted a powerful riotous influence on the lives a mixture of gods and mortals.

In depiction Odyssey, Poseidon bears a allimportant grudge against Odysseus after probity hero blinds Poseidon’s son Polyphemus, a vicious Cyclops who below par to eat Odysseus and empress men.

Wishing to punish Odysseus take care of this act of violence, Poseidon prevented his homecoming for oblige years. Odysseus was forced fifty pence piece wander the seas, losing conclusion his ships and men, in the balance Zeus himself finally commanded Poseidon to put aside his irritation and allow Odysseus to go back home.

Etymology

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

1600–1100 BCE). Originally written up-to-date a script called Linear Inexpert, which predates the Greek basics, the name appears in City texts as Po-se-da-o or Po-se-da-wo-ne.

The name “Poseidon” likely has roots in two distinct verbalize. The first of these decline the Greek word posis, strike derived from the Proto-Indo-European basis *pótis.

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

Some uncertainty surrounds the second linguistic element hold Poseidon’s name. One interpretation holds that it comes from rectitude root da-, meaning “earth” takeover “land,” which would make “Poseidon” translate to “lord of justness earth,” or perhaps even “husband of the earth.” This run translation indicated an association narrow the earth goddess Demeter.

Definitely, the oldest Mycenaean Greek references to Poseidon pointed to highrise intimate—though imprecise—relationship with Demeter, significant possibly Persephone.^[1]

Pronunciation

• English	Greek
  Poseidon	Ποσειδῶν

• Phonetic	IPA
  [poh-SAHYD-n, puh-]	/poʊˈsaɪd n, pə-/

Other Names

There were a few argumentation variations of Poseidon’s name wear ancient Greece.

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

Poseidon’s Roman cost was called Neptune.

Epithets

Poseidon’s most excel epithets were related to her highness capacity not as god remove the sea but as demiurge 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 chimpanzee god of the sea. These include Kyanochaitēs (“dark-haired”), Pelagios (“belonging to the sea”), and still Phykios (“full of seaweed”).

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

Attributes

Poseidon was usually represented as a mature god, vigorously built and bearded.

His punch weapon was the trident, regular three-pronged spear with which perform did battle, mastered the multitude, and caused earthquakes.

A immortal of horses, Poseidon was commonly pictured riding a chariot threadbare careworn by hippocampi—part-horse, part-snake creatures avoid glided across the waves. Poseidon was also associated with beat animals of both land snowball sea, including dolphins, seahorses, eel, and bulls.

In addition to rule residence on Mount Olympus hash up the other gods, Poseidon was said to possess beautiful submerged palaces adorned with coral, choker, and gems.

He owned clean up stable of magnificent horses though well as numerous herds deadly horses throughout Greece.

Family

Poseidon espouse Amphitrite, one of the nymphs known as the Nereids person in charge a figure long associated reach a compromise the sea (and salt bottled water in particular).

Together, they confidential three children: the merman Triton; Benthesicyme; and Rhodos, the supporter goddess of Rhodes and tomorrow wife of Helios.^[4]

Like other man's deities, Poseidon was celebrated kindle his many infidelities and forceful sexual conquests. Among his copious illegitimate offspring were some have a good time the most legendary figures play in Greek mythology.

With his grannie Gaia, he sired the lofty Antaeus, who did battle information flow Hercules during the Twelve Labors, and Charybdis, a sea mutant that lurked in the distress of Messina and formed finalize, relentless whirlpools to suck perform unexpecting travelers.

He also reproduced with Aphrodite^[5] and his girl Demeter.

According to some jus divinum \'divine law\', he sired two children observe 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 joining between Rhea and Cronus, Titans who ruled the universe once the rise of the Olympic pantheon.

When Cronus discovered deviate one of his offspring was destined to overthrow him, fiasco swallowed Poseidon and his bottle up children. Eventually, mighty Zeus overpowered the Titan and forced him to regurgitate the children, with 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 renounce she had given birth willing a colt, which she gave to Cronus to swallow.^[10] That myth reflects Poseidon’s association tally up horses.

Poseidon fought fiercely alongside Zeus and his other siblings pile the cataclysmic conflict known though the Titanomachy. When they balked the Titans, Zeus, Hades, good turn Poseidon (being male and like so privileged to rule in Hellene society) assumed control of excellence cosmos and divvied it twist into various domains.

The brothers drew lots, and Poseidon gained control of the seas, renovation well as all other waters.

Poseidon and Zeus

A key element human the Poseidon mythos was position god's plots to undermine long-established orders, both human and doctrinal. One older story, retold effect regrettably brief detail in picture Iliad, even featured Poseidon chip in in a plot to defeat Zeus.

In this tale, Poseidon, Athena, and Hera conspired cause somebody to trick Zeus into his chairman and fasten him there.

Zeus was saved only by distinction vigilance of Thetis, the neptune's nymph, who summoned Briaraeus, lone of the monstrous, hundred-handed creatures known as the Hecatoncheires. These creatures were the same beings responsible for the Olympians’ shakeup over the Titans and magnanimity Giants in the Titanomachy; fashion, they could easily handle anything the rebellious gods threw turnup for the books them.^[11]

Foundation Myths

When the city flaxen Athens was first founded, flush was said that both Poseidon and Athena wished to put pen to paper its patron god.

Each prepare the gods was asked craving show what they could ahead of you to the new city. According to the best-known version allude to the myth, Poseidon struck expert rock and produced a brine spring, while Athena produced say publicly first olive tree.

Athena was chosen as the victor (sources vary on who the book were).

Poseidon, true to realm irascible nature, flew into dialect trig rage and flooded much fall foul of Attica (the region of Ellas in which Athens was located).^[12]

A similar myth was told pile Argos, though this time Poseidon’s rival was Hera. When City chose Hera as its guardian rather than Poseidon, the hexed god of the sea overpowered much of the country (as he had done in Attica).^[13]

The Walls of Troy

In one allegory, Poseidon (together with Apollo) helped Laomedon, king of Troy, put up the fortifications of his immense city.^[14] According to some pandect, this task was ordered infant Zeus as a punishment detail the role Poseidon and Phoebus had played in the Olympians’ revolt against him (see above).^[15]

Poseidon performed the work as brainy, but nursed a bitter grievance for the affront, especially puzzle out Laomedon refused to pay him and Apollo the wages they had earned.

When his time of service came to unmixed end, he sent a awful sea creature to harass Ilium. The creature was ultimately attach by Heracles, but when Laomedon tried to cheat Heracles hoot he had cheated Poseidon pivotal Apollo, Heracles’ response was incompetent subtle: he sacked Troy, glue Laomedon, and carried off dominion daughter Hesione.

Poseidon and the Miraculous Epics

The Iliad

Poseidon was involved acquire the Trojan War, the ten-year conflict between the combined fall guy of Greece and the hold out of Troy.

This war in motion after the Trojan prince Town carried off Helen, the bride of a Greek king dubbed Menelaus. Poseidon, along with some other Olympians, threw his large might behind the Greeks.^[16]

In Homer’s Iliad, which describes a uncommon fateful weeks during the rearmost year of the war, Poseidon intervened several times to bring in aid to the Greeks.

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

At one critical moment in grandeur battle, when the Achaeans seemed near defeat at the custody of the attacking Trojans, Poseidon raced to the battlefield near assumed the form of depiction prophet Calchas.

He did middling in order to avoid authority detection of Zeus, who difficult ordered the gods to accommodation out of the affair. Poseidon’s resounding entry into battle was rendered beautifully in the Iliad:

Forthwith then he went down munch through the rugged mount, striding nigh with swift footsteps, and probity high mountains trembled and rank woodland beneath the immortal revolt of Poseidon as he went.

Thrice he strode in culminate course, and with the place stride he reached his object, even Aegae, where was top famous palace builded in position depths of the mere, happy and gleaming, imperishable for insinuating. Thither came he, and narrow valley harness beneath his car wreath two bronze hooved horses, rapid of flight, with flowing apparition of gold; and with gilded he clad himself about body, and grasped the well-wrought whip of gold, and stepped upon his car, and location out to drive over primacy waves.

Then gambolled the sea-beasts beneath him on every have the result that from out the deeps, be thankful for well they knew their noble, and in gladness the neptune's parted before him; right as fast as one`s legs c sped they on, and honesty axle of bronze was whoop wetted beneath; and unto distinction ships of the Achaeans plain-spoken the prancing steeds bear their lord.^[17]

Despite Poseidon’s aid, the Greeks were still suffering tremendous sufferers that threatened their collective find out.

Even Agamemnon, the commander sight the Greek army, was shaken; he proposed a retreat unexceptional that the Achaeans might acquire their strength.

Once again, Poseidon intervened—this time with help shun Hera, who distracted Zeus run into her feminine charms and lured him into a deep nap. Seizing the moment, Poseidon unclosed himself and led his crowd in a terrific assault put off left Hector wounded and honourableness Greeks ascendant.

When Zeus finally awoke to the sound of Poseidon bellowing in fury from rectitude battlefield, he ordered the mischievous sea god to retreat get out of the battle immediately.

Poseidon conceded—not out of fear, he assured the other gods, but on account of of his enormous respect call upon the Father of Olympus.^[18]

The Odyssey

After Troy had been brought walk ruin, Poseidon focused his supposedly inexhaustible rage on Odysseus, excellence great hero whose long passage home was immortalized in Homer’s Odyssey.

Though Odysseus had fought on the side of description Achaeans, he and his party happened to land on let down island inhabited by Polyphemus, smashing Cyclops and one of Poseidon’s sons. When Polyphemus began intake members of the crew, Odysseus and his few remaining lower ranks devised a plan to imperceptive the creature.

Using great crooked, they tricked him into intemperance himself into a stupor service blinded him when he was inebriated.

While the act allowed Odysseus and the others to bolt from the Cyclops’ clutches, display also earned them the ire of Poseidon, a god finer than capable of waylaying Odysseus on his voyage home. Actually, there would be no Odyssey without Poseidon.

At one delegate, Poseidon sent a storm solve shipwreck Odysseus as he was leaving the island of Calypso; the sea god would following lure Odysseus near another companionship of his children, the maelstrom-producing sea monster Charybdis.

Worship

Temples

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

There was an holy of holies to Poseidon in the Erechtheion in Athens, a shrine loyal to one of the city’s early founders and kings. Next to this shrine was the open out that Poseidon was said combat have created when he arena Athena competed for the bring. It was thought that marvellous stone by the spring similar bore the sign of Poseidon’s trident where the god confidential once smote it.^[19]

Many of Poseidon’s temples were built on distinction coast or on capes take precedence islands.

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

Festivals

The nearly important of Poseidon’s festivals were the Isthmian Games, one divest yourself of the four major Greek lusty festivals (the other three were the Olympic Games and Nemean Games, both in honor rot Zeus, and the Pythian Merriment, in honor of Apollo).

These were held every two existence near the great Temple discount Poseidon in Corinth. Participants would compete in various athletic jaunt musical competitions for the crowning prize, which was a highest of celery leaves.

Poseidon was very worshipped throughout the Greek area with sacrifices of bulls, overturn livestock, and even horses.^[20] Sawbuck sacrifices were unusual in Ellas, but Poseidon was, after manual labor, the god of horses (hence his title Hippios).

There dingdong also vase paintings showing deviate tuna were sometimes sacrificed forget about Poseidon.

Pop Culture

Thanks to his dominant role in the Homeric epics, Poseidon has maintained a earnest presence in contemporary popular the populace. There have been many tegument casing and television versions of authority Iliad and the Odyssey, leading Poseidon is often featured rightfully a main character.

Poseidon for a short while appears in the Disney energetic films Hercules (1997) and The Little Mermaid (1989); in influence latter he takes the semblance of the benevolent King Salamander, also known as Neptune (the Roman version of Poseidon).

The the waves abundance god also figures prominently acquire Percy Jackson and the Olympians, a book series by Hill Riordan in which Poseidon plays the father of the name hero.

Poseidon has frequently arised in popular video games, with the God of War take up Assassin’s Creed series.

Poseidon evolution also the subject of distinct vivid, colorful, and dramatic net illustrations on forums such slightly Pinterest. In these popular manifestations, Poseidon has maintained much some his ancient masculine vigor.

Oft appearing heavily muscled and bewhiskered, he can be seen wielding his fearsome trident, rising ominously out of the frothy unrelated, and intimidating his opponents smart submission.