Gods and Goddesses Presentation: Poseidon Floor mosaic.

Gods and Goddesses Gods and Goddesses Presentation:Presentation:

PoseidonPoseidon

Floor mosaic

Poseidon was the god of…Poseidon was the god of…

• SeaSea

• HorsesHorses

• EarthquakesEarthquakes

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poseidonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poseidonhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/11970671@N06/1213751395/http://www.flickr.com/photos/11970671@N06/1213751395/

Mosaic of Poseidon, Oceanos, and TethysMosaic of Poseidon, Oceanos, and Tethys

Poseidon’s Family Tree/Poseidon’s Family Tree/Position in Divine HierarchyPosition in Divine HierarchyFamily tree:Family tree:

• Son of Cronus and RheaSon of Cronus and Rhea• Brother of Zeus, Hades, Brother of Zeus, Hades,

Hestia, Demeter, and HeraHestia, Demeter, and Hera• Consort was AmphitriteConsort was Amphitrite• Father to many with Father to many with

different women. Perseus, different women. Perseus, Triton, etc.Triton, etc.

Position in divine hierarchy:Position in divine hierarchy:

• Overruled by ZeusOverruled by Zeus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poseidonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poseidonhttp://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/religion/blgrk_poseidon02.htmhttp://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/religion/blgrk_poseidon02.htm

Poseidon was god to the Poseidon was god to the city/cities of…city/cities of…• CorinthCorinth

• Magna GraeciaMagna Graecia

http://www.holylandphotos.org/browse.asp?s=1,4,11,28,74http://atheism.about.com/library/FAQs/religion/blgrk_greece02.htm

What is was prone to What is was prone to doing? What was his doing? What was his motivation?motivation?He was prone to:He was prone to:

• Create new islands and calms Create new islands and calms seas seas

• Cause unruly springs, Cause unruly springs, earthquakes, drownings and earthquakes, drownings and shipwrecks shipwrecks

• Cause mental disturbances Cause mental disturbances like epilepsylike epilepsy

What he was motivated by:What he was motivated by:

• He did harmful things as He did harmful things as revenge when he was ignored revenge when he was ignored or offendedor offendedhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poseidonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poseidonhttp://www.answers.com/topic/loma-prieta-earthquakehttp://www.answers.com/topic/loma-prieta-earthquake

Recognizing PoseidonRecognizing PoseidonIn imagery:In imagery:

• Poseidon holds a Poseidon holds a trident, a three-trident, a three-pronged spear that pronged spear that he uses to stir up the he uses to stir up the sea or cause earth sea or cause earth quakes. quakes.

• He often rides a He often rides a chariot that is drawn chariot that is drawn by horses (by horses (IliadIliad, , 13.25)13.25)

• In works of art, In works of art, Poseidon may be Poseidon may be easily recognized by easily recognized by his connection to his his connection to his trident, horses, trident, horses, dolphins, chariot. dolphins, chariot.

Mosaic of Poseidon on his chariot

Drawing of a vase of Poseidon on a horse

Image of vase of Poseidon sitting

Recognizing PoseidonRecognizing PoseidonIn literature:In literature:

• In many scenes, he was depicted as an In many scenes, he was depicted as an angry, violent God who causes disaster at angry, violent God who causes disaster at sea. In sea. In The OdysseyThe Odyssey, he sent a gigantic , he sent a gigantic wave to shatter Odysseus’ raft (5.366). He wave to shatter Odysseus’ raft (5.366). He despised Odysseus for blinding his one-despised Odysseus for blinding his one-eyed son Cyclops. eyed son Cyclops.

• Bulls are normally sacrificed for him. For Bulls are normally sacrificed for him. For example, in example, in The OdysseyThe Odyssey, the Phaeacians , the Phaeacians wanted Poseidon to stop threatening wanted Poseidon to stop threatening them by sacrificing twelve bulls (13.149-them by sacrificing twelve bulls (13.149-52). 52).

• Sailors refer to him frequently and fear Sailors refer to him frequently and fear him, but Poseidon can also protect them him, but Poseidon can also protect them so they want to stay on his good side. so they want to stay on his good side.

• Referred to as the Earth Shaker, Rain-God, Referred to as the Earth Shaker, Rain-God, Cloud-Gatherer, and Neptune in Roman Cloud-Gatherer, and Neptune in Roman mythologymythology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Neptune_in_Florence_Piazza.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Neptune_in_Florence_Piazza.jpg

Statue of Poseidon, Florence, Italy

Bizarre FactsBizarre Facts • He had many lovers and loved He had many lovers and loved

seducing and raping women. seducing and raping women. • Poseidon also tried to seduce Poseidon also tried to seduce

Medusa and made love in the Medusa and made love in the temple of Athena. The virgin temple of Athena. The virgin goddess Athena, who was goddess Athena, who was furious, turned Medusa into a furious, turned Medusa into a hideous monster with snakes as hideous monster with snakes as hair. hair.

• Most infamous Poseidon rape Most infamous Poseidon rape was with his sister, Demeter. was with his sister, Demeter. She tried to escape Poseidon’s She tried to escape Poseidon’s love by turning herself into a love by turning herself into a mare to hide inside a herd of mare to hide inside a herd of horses. Poseidon transformed horses. Poseidon transformed himself into a stallion and himself into a stallion and mounted her. mounted her.

• He had a male lover named He had a male lover named Pelops, who was a prince of Pelops, who was a prince of Lydia and later Kind of Pisa in Lydia and later Kind of Pisa in Elis. Elis. http://www.pantheon.org/articles/p/poseidon.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:275px-VBNeptuneStatue.jpg

Statue of Neptune, Virginia Beach