Poseidon

God of the Seas and the Storm (Art from Neapolitan School)

### Aliases

Neptune, Earth Shaker, Neptūnus, Lord of the Sea, God of Earthquakes, Lord of Atlantean Gods, Great Lord of the Seven Seas, God of Storms

## Relatives

### Siblings

Hades, Demeter, Hestia, Hera, Zeus, Chiron

### Offspring

Theseus, Triton, Polyphemus, Orion, Belus, Agenor, Neleus, Atlas, Pegasus, Chrysaor, Sybaris

**Poseidon**, also known as **Neptune**, is the god and ruler of the sea venerated by the ancient Greeks, a son of Rhea and Cronus, and a member of the Dodekatheon. He is also revered as the god of earthquakes, storms, and horses.

## Overview

Poseidon, often known as the "God of the Sea," primarily ruled over the ocean, commanding its vast depths. He was also given the titles "Earth-Shaker" and "Storm-Bringer" due to his role in causing earthquakes and storms. Poseidon was even credited with being the "Father of Horses" as he fashioned these magnificent creatures from sea foam.

Similar to his brother Zeus, Poseidon engaged in numerous affairs, resulting in the birth of many children. Unlike Zeus' vengeful wife Hera, Poseidon's wife, Amphitrite, did not vehemently object to his extramarital relationships. His weapon of choice was the mighty trident, a formidable instrument that could both make the earth tremble with earthquakes and shatter any object it struck.

Poseidon harbored resentment toward Zeus for his dominion over the heavens, and as the second eldest among the gods, he coveted his father's former realm. This longing for power intensified due to Zeus' allocation of domains, leading to a series of conflicts with Zeus as they vied for control. His quarrelsome and contentious nature, combined with his greed, contributed to these feuds. Consequently, Poseidon found himself embroiled in disputes with various other gods as he sought to assert his authority over the cities they patronized.

Poseidon's union with the sea goddess Amphitrite bore a son named Triton. He also fathered a daughter named Rhodos with Aphrodite. Among his other notable offspring were the hero Theseus, the skilled hunter Orion, and the one-eyed cyclops Polyphemus.

## Appearance

His appearance is similar to that of his brothers, Zeus and Hades, with the addition of his crown and trident.

## Personality

Poeidon was also viewed by Hellenists as a particularly lascivious character, entertaining innumerable conquests of goddesses, nymphs and mortal women. Even when his attempts were not successful, Poseidon was not hesitant to take the female he was pursuing by force.

## History

Poseidon was a son of Rhea, the earth mother, and Cronus, the prevailing sky god who ruled over the rest of the Greek pantheon. Fearing that his children would one day usurp him, Poseidon was swallowed by his father immediately after his birth, as were the rest of his brothers and sisters. He was eventually saved by his mother, who tricked Cronus by offering him a large stone wrapped in swaddling clothes in place of her sixth child, Zeus.

Cronus was forced to vomit up Poseidon and the rest of his siblings in the process of ridding the stone from his digestive system. In alternative versions, Poseidon was thrown into the sea by his father as soon as he was born. Either way, Poseidon went on to play a key role in assisting Zeus in usurping Cronus and the rest of the Titans. After Cronus' defeat, the three brothers Zeus, Hades and Poseidon divided up the universe among themselves, assuming jurisdiction over the sky, the underworld and the sea, respectively.

When the Titanomachy had ended, Zeus and his brothers started working to reshape the world left at their disposal. Their first act was to divide it between them, and therefore they drew lots to decide who was going to rule over which part of the world. Zeus got the heavens, Hades the Underworld and Poseidon the oceans. The earth remained a neutral ground, split among the three gods: Poseidon could cause earthquakes, Zeus controlled the weather, and all living things would come under Hades’ control after their death.

Once, Poseidon found himself desiring Demeter's affection. In an attempt to dissuade his advances, Demeter presented him with a unique challenge. She asked him to craft the most magnificent creature that the world had ever witnessed. In his ardent pursuit to win her favor, Poseidon embarked on the task, ultimately giving rise to the creation of the very first horse.

In certain versions of the tale, Poseidon's initial endeavors proved less than satisfactory, resulting in the formation of various other creatures as he experimented. Consequently, by the time the horse was finally brought into existence, Poseidon's infatuation with Demeter had waned, and he presented her with the horse as a testament to his creative prowess.

## Myths and Legends

As the god Neptune, he was originally considered as the circular body of water around the Roman lands, but was later merged with the Greek deity Poseidon. This hellenised Neptune was usually considered the brother of Jupiter and Pluto, and was married to the sea goddess Salacia.

The eighth and farthest known planet from the Sun in the Solar System was named after them.

## Trivia

* Theologians have equated Poseidon with Yam, Enki, Nethuns, and Neptonos.