POSEIDON

Poseidon

Poseidon is the God of the seas, storms, horses, and earth quakes.

Poseidon’s Roman name is Neptune. Poseidon is often portrayed as a muscular

man, with longer wavy hair, and has a long curly beard.

Poseidon wore a long swath of fabric that covered the lower portion of his body and carried a long three pronged trident.

Poseidon’s Family

Poseidon had five brothers and sisters. Hades Demeter Hestia Hera Zeus

Hades

Hades is the Greek God of the Underworld.

Hades was considered to be the oldest male child of Cronus and Rhea.

Demeter

Demeter was Poseidon’s sister. Demeter was the Greek Goddess of the

harvest and presided over grains, the fertility of the earth, the seasons, and the harvest.

Hestia

Hestia was Poseidon’s sister. Hestia was the Greek Goddess of hearth,

home, and cooking.

Hera

Hera was Poseidon’s sister. Hera is the Greek Goddess of women and

marriage.

Zeus

Zeus was Poseidon’s brother. Zeus is the Greek God of the sky and

thunder.

Poseidon’s Parents

Poseidon’s father was Cronus. Cronus was the leader and the youngest of the first generation of Titans. Cronus was overthrown by his own sons Poseidon, Hades, and Zeus and was imprisoned in Tartarus.

Poseidon’s mother was Rhea. Rhea was a Titaness and was considered the “Mother of Gods.”

Poseidon’s Children

Poseidon had three children. Triton Theseus Polyphemus

Triton

Triton was a son of Poseidon. Triton was a fish-tailed sea god.

Theseus

Theseus was Poseidon’s son. Theseus was the mythical founder king of

Athens.

Polyphemus

Polyphemus was the giant one-eyed (Cyclops) son of Poseidon. His name means “Very Famous”.

Polyphemus fought in the Trojan War.

Poseidon’s life

Poseidon was to be eaten by his father (Cronus) at birth. Poseidon’s mother (Reah) instead gave birth to Poseidon while hiding among a flock of sheep and pretended to give birth to a colt to protect Poseidon from Cronus.

When angered or ignored it was said that Poseidon would strike the ground with his trident causing chaotic springs, floods, earthquakes and caused drownings and shipwrecks.

Poseidon’s life

Sailors prayed to Poseidon for a safe voyage, sometimes drowning horses as a sacrifice.

Alexander the Great was said to have paused at the Syrian seashore before the battle of Issus and resorted to prayers, invoking Poseidon the sea god and ordered a four-horse chariot to be cast into the waves.

Poseidon and the Walls of Troy

Poseidon and Apollo offended Zeus. Zeus then sent Poseidon and Apollo to serve King Laomedon of Troy. King Laomedon had them build huge walls around the city and promised to reward them well. After refusing to reward them Poseidon sent a sea monster to attack the city of Troy before the Trojan War. The sea monster was later killed by Heracles.