A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

$06 POSEIDON. POSEIDON.
erected by himself fell by the hands of the Greeks. The symbol of Poseidon's power was the trident,
(Hom. II. xii. 17, 28, &c.) When Poseidon and or a spear with three points, with which he used to
Apollo had built the walls of Troy, Laomedon shatter rocks, to call forth or subdue storms, to
refused to give them the reward which had been shake the earth, and the like. Herodotus (ii. 50, iv.
stipulated, and even dismissed them with threats 188) states, that the name and worship of Poseidon
(xxi. 443); but Poseidon sent a marine monster, was imported to the Greeks firom Libya, but he
which was on the point of devouring Laomedon's was probably a divinity of Pelasgian origin, and
daughter, when it was killed by Heracles. (Apollod. originally a personification of the fertilising power
ii. 5 ~ 9.) For this reason Poseidon like Hera of water, from which the transition to regarding
bore an implacable hatred against the Trojans, from hin as the god of the sea was not difficult. It is
which not even Aeneas was excepted (Hom. II. a remarkable circumstance that in the legends
xx. 293, &c.; comp. Virg. Aen. v. 810; II. xxi. about this divinity there are many in which he is
459, xxiv. 26, xx. 312, &c.), and took an active said to have disputed the possession of certain
part in the war against Troy, in which he sided countries with other gods. Thus, in order to take
with the Greeks, sometimes witnessing the contest possession of Attica, he thrust his trident into the
as a spectator from the heights of Thrace, and ground on the acropolis, where a well of sea-water
sometimes interfering in person, assuming the ap- was thereby called forth; but Athena created
pearance of a mortal hero and encouraging the the olive tree, and the two divinities disputed,
Greeks, while Zeus favoured the Trojans. (11. until the gods assigned Attica to Athena. Poseidon,
xiii. 12, &c., 44, &c., 209, 351, 357, 677, xiv. indignant at this, caused tilhe country to be in136, 510.) When Zeus permitted the gods to undated. (Herod. viii. 55; Apollod. iii. 14. ~ 1;
assist whichever party they pleased, Poseidon join- Paus. i. 24. ~ 3, &c.; Hygin. Fab. 164.) With
ing the Greeks, took part in the war, and caused Athena he also disputed the possession of Troezene,
the earth to tremble; he was opposed by Apollo, and at the command of Zeus he shared the place
who, however, did not like to fight against his with her. (Paus. ii. 30. 6 ) With Helios he
uncle. (II. xx. 23, 34, 57, 67, xxi. 436, &c.) disputed the sovereignty of Corinth, which along
In the Odyssey, Poseidon appears hostile to with the isthmus was adjudged to him, while Helios
Odysseus, whom he prevents from returning home received the acropolis.. (ii. 1. ~ 6.) With Hera he
in consequence of his having blinded Polyphemus, disputed the possession of Argolis, which was ada son of Poseidon by the nymph Thoosa. (IIom. judged to the former by Inachus, Cephissus, and
Od. i. 20, 68, v. 286, &c., 366, &c., 423, xi. 101, Asterion, in consequence of which Poseidon caused
&c., xiii. 125; Or. Trist. i. 2. 9.) the rivers of these river-gods to be dried up. (ii. 15.
Being the ruler of the sea (the Mediterranean), ~ 5, 22. ~ 5; Apollod. ii. 1. ~ 4.) With Zeus,
he is described as gathering clouds and calling forth lastly, he disputed the possession of Aegina, and
storms, but at the same he has it in his power to with Dionysus that of Naxos. (Plut. Sym~pos.
grant a successful voyage and save those who are ix. 6.) At one time Delphi belonged to him in
in danger, and all other marine divinities are sub- common with Ge, but Apollo gave him Calauria as
ject to him. As the sea surrounds and holds the a compensation for it. (Paus. ii. 33. ~ 2, x. 5.
earth, he himself is described as the god who ~ 3; Apollon. Rhod. iii. 1243, with the Schol.)
holds the earth (yal7ioXos), and who has it in his The following legends also deserve to be menpower to shake the earth (Porr'X0Wo, KLV?,r)p?Y s). tioned. In conjunction with Zeus he fought
He was further regarded as the creator of the against Cronos and the Titans (Apollod. i. 2. ~ 1),
horse, and was accordingly believed to have taught and in the contest with the Giants he pursued
men the art of managing horses by the bridle, and Polybotes across the sea as far as Cos, and there
to have been the originator and protector of horse killed him by throwing the island upon him.
races. (Hom. II. xxiii. 307, 584; Pind. Plyth. vi.50; (AFollod. i. 6. ~ 2; Paus. i. 2. ~ 4.) He further
Soph. Oed. Col. 71'2, &c.) Hence he was also crushed the Centaurs when they were pursued by
represented on horseback, or riding in a chariot Heracles, under a mountain in Leucosia, the
drawn by two or four horses, and is designated by island of the Seirens. (Apollod. ii. 5. ~ 4.) He
the epithets'b7rsr0s,'T7r7rEos, or ltr7rtos avda. (Paus. sued together with Zeus for the hand of Thetis,
i. 30. ~ 4, viii. 25. ~ 5, vi. 20. ~ 8, viii. 37. ~ 7; but he withdrew when Themis prophesied that the
Earip. P/loen. 1707; comp. Liv. i. 9, where he is son of Thetis would be greater than his father.
called equester.) In consequence of his connection (Apollod. iii. 13. ~ 5; Tzetz. ad Lye. 178.) When
with the horse, he was regarded as the friend of Ares had been caught in the wonderful net by
charioteers (Pind. 01. i. 63, &c.; Tzetz. ad yec. Hephaestus, the latter set him free at the request
156), and he even metamorphosed himself into a of Poseidon (Hom. Od. viii. 344, &c.), but Poseidon
horse, for the purpose of deceiving Demeter. The afterwards brought a charge against Ares before
common tradition about Poseidon creating the the Areiopagus, for having killed his son Halirhorse is as follows: - when Poseidon and Athena rhothius. (Apollod. iii. 14. ~ 2.) At the request
disputed as to which of them should give the name of Minos, king of Crete, Poseidon caused a bull to
to the capital of Attica, the gods decided, that it rise from the sea, which the king promised to sacrishould receive its name from him who should fice; but when Minos treacherously concealed the
bestow upon man the most useful gift. Poseidon animal among a herd of oxen, the god punished
then created the horse, and Athena called forth Minos by causing his daughter PasiphaU to fall in
the olive tree, for which the honour was conferred love with the bull. (Apollod. iii. 1. ~ 3, &c.)
upon her. (Serv. ad Virg. Georg. i. 12.) Accord- Periclymenus, who was either a son or a grandson
ing to others, however, Poseidon did not create of Poseidon, received from him the power of asthe horse in Attica, but in Thessaly, where he suming various forms. (i. 9. ~ 9, iii. 6. ~ 8.)
also.gave the famous horses to Peleus. (Lucan, Poseidon was married to Amphitrite, by whom
PhI'lrs. vi. 396, &c.; Hoem. II. xxiii. 277; Apollod. he had three children, Triton, Rhode, and Beniii. 13. ~ 5.) thesicyme (Hes. T-,,ny. 930; Apollod. i. 4. ~ 6,