The most famous of Poseidon’s contests for power was over Athens, where he competed unsuccessfully with Athena. Athena and Poseidon argued over possession of Troezen, and Zeus ruled that they would share possession of the city. Hera and Poseidon fought passionately over Argos, and when the three river gods who were given the task of judging the dispute were found in favor of Hera, Poseidon flooded the city and dried up the rivers in anger. He and Helius (god of the sun) both wanted Corinth and could not agree, so they took their dispute to Briareüs, who divided the area between the two, giving the citadel to Helius and the isthmus to Poseidon. Poseidon vied with several of his fellow gods for several areas, and Poseidon did not often fare well in these contests. The gods often competed with each other to win patronage over areas in Greece. He once convinced Hera and Athena to join him in a rebellion against Zeus, whom they managed to imprison in chains until Thetis brought Briareüs, the chief of the Hundred-Handers, to release him (Homer, Iliad, 1.396-405). Poseidon was allotted domain over the seas, but he always remained immensely jealous of Zeus’ position of King of the Gods. After the Olympians overthrew their Titan parents, the three Olympian brothers, Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon, drew lots to divvy up the realms. Most stories relate that he was swallowed by his father like all his older siblings and was rescued by Zeus along with his other siblings. Epithets: Enosichthon (Earth-Shaker), Hippios (the Horse God)įunctions: god of the sea, salt and fresh water springs, earthquakes, and horses Poseidon’s Birth Myth
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |