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DESCRIPTION AND CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER GODS
Poseidon was one of the six Olympians. He is the supreme ruler of the seas. He was often described as having vicious, sea blue eyes and long sea-blue hair, long beard (with snails and sea shells in it). Poseidon was a big man with hard, strong, facial descriptions, bushy eyebrows, thick lips and a strong chin. Poseidon was very unpredictable. Sometimes, Zeus ordered Poseidon what to do. Usually, when he was in a bad mood, he would struck the sea floor with his trident, and the earth would tremble and split open. When he struck the sea, waves raised mountains high and the winds howled, wrecking ships, and drowning those who lived on the shores. When he was in a calm mood, he would stretch out his hand and still the sea and raise new lands out of the water.
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| Poseidon |
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| Poseidon destroying ships on the sea |
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| A survivor prays to Poseidon for help |
He inflicted fear and punishment on people if they would not pray and look towards him as being great. The people sacrificed horses by drowning them. Poseidon was fond of horses, bulls and dolphins. He was a restless god and loved to race the waves with his team of snow-white horses. Athena built his first chariot, and the first ship to sail across Poseidons seas, was also built by her. It was said that he created the horse in the shape of breaking waves.
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| Zeus riding one of his horse |
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| Poseidon in his chariot |
Athena and Poseidon had a contest for possession of Athens and Attica. Each created a gift: Athena created an olive tree and Poseidon a salt spring. The people of Athens and Attica tasted the salt spring, and spited it right out. They tasted olives from Athenas olive tree and found that it tasted better. They awarded her and named the cities of Athens and Attica after her. In his anger over the decision, Poseidon flooded the Attic Plain. Eventually, Athena and Poseidon worked together by combining their powers.
During the Trojan War, he and Apollo built the walls of Troy, but when the Trojans refused payment he began to hate them and opposed them in the Trojan War. Thus, when the Greek were returning home, they lost many ships and many lives because of the thundering waves and strong winds. As everyone should know, Poseidon and other gods gave Odysseus a very difficult time when he was trying to return home.
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