OShea

Finnegan OShea

Mrs. Dietrich

Honors English 10

6 March 2017

Poseidon

Imagine if you had the power to control all of the seas and the lands in this world.

Ever since he was little he could control all of the seas, earthquakes, and horses. He was one

of the supreme gods of Mount Olympus. Poseidon had a many different abilities which

made him a rather unique god. Poseidon had the power to help people along their journeys,

but if he was angered, he had the ability to sabotage peoples journey. Poseidon, a hostile

tempered god, played an important role in Odysseus journey back to Ithaca by creating

various obstacles with the sea and the land to punish Odysseus for angering him.

Poseidon is said to have been born in Manteinia. His exact birthplace is unknown but

he is said to have been born in a cave. His parents names are Rhea and Cronus. When he

was born he was concealed by Rhea, after his birth, among a flock of lambs, and his mother

pretended to have given birth to a young horse, which she gave to Cronos to devour (Atsma).

Cronus, was fearful of a son who would overthrow him as he did to his own father also.

Because of his fear Cronus swallowed each of his children as they were born (Gill). When

he was born to Rhea he was immediately eaten by Cronus. Although, since Poseidon is a

god, he is immortal. Since he is immortal when he was eaten by Cronus he lived in his

stomach. One day Zeus tricked the titan into vomiting up his siblings. After this they ensued
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a battle in which they won. After the victory Zeus and Hades divided up the world that they

had gained (Gill). Poseidon lived in the depth of the sea near Aegae in Euboea. He kept his

horses with brazen hoofs and golden manes (Atsma). When Poseidon got older he married a

sea nymph named Amphitrite.

Poseidon was one of the twelve Olympian deities of the Pantheon in Greek

mythology. Myths state that Poseidon was angered easily and punished people who made

him mad. As previously stated Poseidon was the god of the Sea, Earthquakes, and horses.

Poseidon was referred to as the Earth-Shaker. Due to his role in causing earthquakes. He

is also sometimes referred to as the tamer of horses. He was a very powerful god and

could help you or hurt you. Sometimes Poseidon was very nice and could make a journey

easier, he was very short tempered and if someone did one wrong thing they were likely to

anger him. Because of this Poseidon was a feared god and people knew to try to please him

so he would not harm them. Poseidon was an unruly god with such a hot temper that when

he would get upset he would set off earthquakes to let some of his rage out (James) .

Poseidon would strike the ground with a three-pronged spear, which would cause the

earthquake and a devastating effect. Poseidon could also control other sea monsters storms

(James). Poseidons mood was very unpredictable and could change any moment. This was

very risky because one moment he could be in a good mood helping you out, and in the next

he could be sabotaging your journey.

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Poseidon was a very prominent figure in Greek mythology times. This makes it

evident that he has many symbols that makes him stand out. Being such a powerful god,

Poseidon was feared and when someone is feared they are usually depicted with some sort of

a weapon. This indeed is the case for Poseidon too. He is usually depicted with having a

three pronged spear that he used to help show his power and his capabilities (Regula). He

used this trident to stir up the sea, creating waves and storms, as well as causing earthquakes

that would cause mass destruction (James). Poseidon was also expressed by less dangerous

symbols. For example, Poseidon is often seen with a horse (Atsma). This is one of

Poseidons symbols because he rides these horses to get him around places. This directly

corresponds to how Poseidon was born, his mother claimed to have given birth to a young

horse. Poseidon also cherishes his horses very much and each of his horses have golden

manes with brazen hoofs (Atsma). Poseidon is also said to have fathered a flying horse. His

sister also mothered a horse once she got older. It is evident that Poseidon is symbolized by

horses as well as the trident. Another symbol of Poseidon is a chariot gill. A chariot is used

to symbolize Poseidon because he rode a chariot, pulled by horses, over the waves of the sea.

The sea becomes smooth as Poseidon and his chariot approach, and the monsters of the sea

stop what they are doing to let Poseidon pass, which shows a level of respect that the

monsters have for Poseidon. Some Roman Myths believe that each of Poseidons horses had

a special power that they would use to punish monsters that would disrespect Poseidon, the

other horses, or his chariot. Poseidon had a lot of symbolism that represented his power and

the respect that he had earned from the monsters and from other gods as well.
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Poseidon is seen in many books that write bout gods and/or Greek mythology. One of

the most well-known books that Poseidon is involved in is The Odyssey. The Odyssey is a

book about Odysseus journey back to Ithaca. Throughout this book we see just how much

power Poseidon really has. Within his journey back home we also see how quickly Poseidon

can be angered and how dangerous he can be when his tempers flare. For example

Poseidon used his powers to keep Odysseus lost at sea (Boyett.51). This quote supports

the fact that Poseidon was very powerful and did affect many peoples journey through the

sea. Also Poseidon carried a grudge during the Trojan War. Sometimes he would get angry

and get into fights with Zeus and some of the titans. This too shows how dangerous and

hostile Poseidon was when he was angry. In The Odyssey, Odysseus had killed a cyclops

named Polyphemus. This angered Poseidon so he made sure to punish him for his

wrongdoing. As Odysseus Punishment for killing the cyclops and angering Poseidon,

Poseidon makes Odysseus journey back home very difficult. He gets Odysseus lost at sea

and keeps him from returning home for ten years (Homer). This too shows how powerful

Odysseus is if he is angered by anyone and how quickly he can ruin ones sea journey.

On the other hand, Poseidon uses his powers to help other people in certain ways. He

was well respected and worshipped throughout ancient Greece. Poseidon was so well

respected that some sailors and everyday people would offer up sacrifices to praise him.

They would do this in hopes of getting on Poseidons good side. They did this in order to

keep Poseidon happy. Also, they would do this so that they could have a better chance of

encountering smooth seas while on their journeys. If Poseidon was happy then the seas

would be plentiful and you would be protected during your travels (Navaj).
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Poseidon is a very powerful god that has a very bad temper. He is angered easily and

when he is angry he can cause mass destruction. Poseidon is a prominent figure in Greek

Mythology and plays a large role in being a god. From being born and eaten by his father to

controlling the seas, earthquakes, and being a god of horses, Poseidon was well respected

and very powerful. Some of his symbols include the trident, horses, a chariot, seas, and

earthquakes. These symbols represent who Poseidon is and the type of god he is. He could

sabotage your journey if you angered him or he could help you make it to your destination

safely if you pleased him.