The Story of Poseidon Essay -- History Greek Gods Mythology Essays

The Story of Poseidon(Roman - Neptune)Poseidon was the ruler of the sea, and a powerful god in classical 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 capture was Rhea. Cronus was a paranoid ruler, because it had been prophesized that integrity 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 guidance to ensure that none of his offspring overthrew him.One by one, the children were swallowed by Cronus initiative Hestia, then Demeter, Hera, Hades and Poseidon. (Some mythographers claim that Rhea tricked Cronus by presenting a deliver instead of the deflower Poseidon for consumption, but most agree that Poseidon had been swallowed like the stay on of his siblings.)Needless to say, this constant swallowing of her children enraged Rhea. She bore her third son, genus genu s Zeus, in the shopping center 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 make the Titan disgorge the swallowed children. Being gods, they were unharmed, albeit a tad dazed and confuse. 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 daphnia (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 to a lower place the earth as heaven is above the earth. Around Tartarus runs a contend of bronze with gates of bronze, which Poseidon fixed in such as vogue as to offer no escape, and there the Titans were forever confined.After Zeus, with his brothers and sisters, thwarted 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 tyrannical ruler, Hades got the Underworld and Poseid... ...rms began, but when he drove in his prosperous chariot over the water, the storms subsided and tranquil peace followed his wheels. Neptune and his HorsesBy E. K. Birce, 1880 Ancient sailors and warriors would beg and offer tributes to the great Poseidon prior to undertaking a sea journey. In turn, Poseidon could be cruel and hostile to those who displeased him, such as the combatant of the Trojan War, Odysseus, who suffered great tribulations at the hands of Poseidon while embarked on his Odyssey spikelet home. Both the bul l and the horse are associated with Poseidon, but the bull is associated with many a(prenominal) other gods as well, so the horse can be considered his animal.He was always depicted carrying, or using, his distinguishing weapon, the trident, a three-pronged spear which he used to shatter and shake anything he pleased, much like his brother Zeus used his thunderbolts. Thats why he was commonly referred to as the Earth mover and shaker. The trident, his symbol, was the gift of the Cyclopes, who had fought with the Olympians versus the Titans.He was always accompanied by his son, Triton, who was one-half man, half fish. Triton would blow on his seashell to announce Poseidons arrival.