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