POSEIDON Essay, Research Paper
POSEIDON
In Greek mythology creation was divided between three main Gods. Zeus ruled
the sky; Hates ruled the underworld, and their brother Poseidon ruled over all
of the water on earth. He lived on the sea floor, in a castle made out of coral,
and he drove a chariot that was pulled by white horses. The Greeks claim he
created the first horse.
Poseidon, however was very moody and temperamental. When he was happy or in a
good mood the oceans were calm and safe for sailors, and he would create new
islands in the water. But when Poseidon was unhappy or upset, the seas were
rough and dangerous. He would cause hurricanes, shipwrecks and drown people.
Sailors depended on him for safe trips, and they would drowned horses as a
sacrifce and as a gift to the God of the Sea.
Poseidon, like many other gods fathered illigetimate children with mortals as
well as goddesses, and sometimes even animals. Some of his children are; Thesus,
Orion, Amycus, Proteus, and Belus. One of his affairs with a Gorgon, Medusa,
resulted in Pegasus, a flying horse. His affair with his sister Demeter is
perhaps the best known of his affairs. She wasant interested, and turned herself
into a horse to get away from him. Poseidon changed into a stallion to follow
her. Their affair resulted in the birth of a horse named Arion.
Poseidon was a very competitive God. In one competition, he and the goddess
Athena were competing for the city of Athens. Poseidon threw down his spear and
made the Spring at Acropolis. Athena made an olive tree, and won over the people
of Athens. Poseidon was so upset about his loss that he flooded the Attic Plain.
During the Trojan War Poseidon helped Greek ships sail quickly and made the
water safe for the ships and sailors. One solider named Odysseus bragged to
Poseidon claming he was responsible for the victory, not the God. Poseidon was
so mad about this he would not let Odysseus return home for ten years.
1. Lindemans, M.F. Encyclopedia Mythica Feb. 17, 2001.
http://www.pantheon.org
2. Skidmore, Joel. MythWeb Feb.18, 2001
http://www.mythweb.com
3. Mythology ?The Story of Gods? Feb. 19, 2001
http://www.mythweb.com