According to myth, Medusa was once a beautiful woman, and Poseidon seduced her inside one of the goddess Athena's temples. Medusa (pronounced meh-DOO-suh) is also sometimes mentioned as a lover of Poseidon.

After seducing his sister Demeter while disguised as a horse, he had two children: the divine horse Arion (pronounced uh-RYE-uhn) and a daughter Despina (pronounced des-PEE-nuh). Poseidon had children with other partners as well. One of the children, Triton (pronounced TRY-tun), was a sea god and a merman (male version of a mermaid) who resembled a human above the waist and a fish from the waist down. With his wife, the sea nymph Amphitrite (pronounced am-fi-TRY-tee), he had three offspring. Love, Life, and Children Poseidon had a turbulent love life and fathered many children, including a number of monsters and sea creatures. When the king refused to pay for this work, Poseidon took revenge by siding with the Greeks against Troy in the Trojan War. During this time, Poseidon helped build great walls around the city. As punishment for this rebellion, Zeus made Poseidon serve as a slave to King Laomedon (pronounced lay-OM-uh-don) of Troy for a year. However, the sea goddess Thetis (pronounced THEE-tis) saved Zeus by bringing a giant from Tartarus (pronounced TAR-tur-uhs)-a realm beneath the underworld-to release the king of the gods from his chains. Together they managed to put Zeus in chains. Once he even plotted with the goddesses Hera and Athena (pronounced uh-THEE-nuh) to overthrow Zeus. Zeus received the sky, Hades ruled the underworld or land of the dead, and Poseidon became god of the seas.ДЄlthough Zeus was king of the gods, Poseidon often asserted his independence. Poseidon later joined Zeus and Hades in overthrowing Cronus, and the three brothers then divided the universe among themselves. He was saved by his brother Zeus (pronounced ZOOS), who tricked Cronus into taking a potion that caused him to vomit up Poseidon and the other siblings- Hades (pronounced HAY-deez), Demeter (pronounced di-MEE-ter), Hera (pronounced HAIR-uh), and Hestia (pronounced HESS-tee-uh). The son of the Titans Cronus (pronounced KROH-nuhs) and Rhea (pronounced REE-uh), Poseidon was swallowed at birth by his father. Quick to anger, he directed his fury at anyone who acted against him or failed to show proper respect. Although often helpful to humans-protecting sailors at sea, guiding ships to safety, and filling nets with fish-Neptune could be a terrifying figure as well. He used his mighty trident not only to create earthquakes and stir ocean waves, but also to raise new land from beneath the sea or cause existing land to sink below the waters. Poseidon rode the waves in a swift chariot drawn by golden sea horses. Another name for Poseidon was Hippios (pronounced HIP-ee-ohs), meaning lord of horses, a reference to the fact that he was believed to be the creator of the first horse. One of his titles, translated as вЂњEarth-shaker,вЂќ reflected his ability to cause earthquakes by striking the earth and mountains with his three-pronged spear known as a trident. When angry, he could stir the sea to a fury, but he could also calm the raging waters with just a glance. An awesome, unruly, and powerful god, Poseidon was associated with storms, earthquakes, and some other violent forces of nature. The Romans called him Neptune (pronounced NEP-toon). One of the major deities (gods) in Greek mythology, Poseidon was the supreme ruler of the seas.

Son of Cronus and Rhea Character Overview

Neptune vs poseidon