Poseidon…. That freaky water dude

So. Like, basically. Yeah, we’re jumping straight in btw. So, basically, it is very VERY important to understand the history of not only your religion but also other religions. You should actually know the history of anything you’re interested in. I’m not saying like exact dates, time stamps, comprehensive notes, ect. I’m talking being able to verbally give out a basic history of whatever it is you like as background, and to better understand it yourself. Please, never talk about something if you have no clue what you’re talking about. Thank you. 

In relation to this, Poseidon. The water guy. The whole, like, king of the ocean and father of like cyclopses and stuff like that. He’s done a couple things. Had a very brief cameo in Epic: The Musical (if anyone mentions Epic in the comments i will actually throw chairs i do NOT wanna hear about epic the musical). Most people do, however, know Poseidon through the medusa myth. I genuinely think i’ve explained that myth at least three times already on blogs and how its wrong btw, so im not gonna expand on it. 

What i’m getting at is, when people think Poseidon they thing A) That water dude, B) Percy Jackson’s dad, or C) Epic: The Musical (as of late). Poseidon is actually a LOT more than that, in a modern Lense and in a ancient one, too. This would come from understanding his history and roots, so we’re going to do that today!

Poseidon, whos name oddly (as far as we know) means actually nothing relating to the Sea, which he is the god of. His name most nearly, in current theories, can mean “husband,” “Earth Husband”, or “Earth Shaker” and any varieties of the name. This could come from his Mycenean roots, which that’s basically the guys right before the greek dark ages when everything changed, in which our dearly beloved Poseidon was actually the KING of the gods, rather than the throw-away brother who often had non-consensual encounters with women and was like kinda in the ocean or sum. It is believed that, somehow someway during those dark ages, Poseidon and Zeus did a whole personality swap.. which may be the reason that some greek heroes have very unclear family lines, because are they zeus’ or poseidon’s? like whats going on? 

Basically, Poseidon used to be, like…. that guy. He was the king of the gods, and not only that, but he was the king of the skies, seas, and underworld as well! This leaves entities like Hades and Zeus, one of which ive talked about before, without the whole things they’re known for (Which, if i knew anything about that, i would definitely make blogs on them). It’s actually pretty hard to research them, since the greeks were only really writing stuff down AFTER the dark ages anyways… but whatever. Poseidon used to be the king of the gods, still mostly relating to the sea, earth quakes, and… horses? Whats a guy like him, like the sea, doing being the god of horses????

He had a baby with his sister and it was a horse.

That’s it, That’s the myth. He had a baby with demeter and it was a horse. The fastest horse ever, or something, and it ate gold and other precious metals. Technically, the horse has a twin sister, who is NOT a horse. Sister of Persephone. Oh, persephone’s brother is also a horse. btw. yeah. Arion. His name is Arion. Kind of how Loki turned into a horse and got pregnant by a horse and had a horse². Actually, the myth is pretty similar.

While demeter was looking for her daughter, Persephone, after Hades had abducted her, she managed to travel great distances looking for her. She went to helios, some random son of zeus (so… technically Persephone’s half-brother/cousin) whom she fell in love with, a few places regarding giants and titans and whatever… along the way, Poseidon had begun persuing her. To evade his advances, he changed into a horse…. then he changed into a horse. This was okay to her, but not normal Poseidon, and, well.. when a mommy horse and a daddy horse love each other very much, they end up popping out two other horses- nope. One human girl and a horse. That horse, Arion, is the fastest horse to ever horse. and also, like, sometimes can walk on wind (not in a pegasus way) and may or may not be the father of all horses. 

Yeah. That is, as far as I know, the ONLY reason Poseidon is considered the god of horses, aside from the fact he also like… invented horses. It’s kind of confusing and useless, if you consider ancient greece instead of mycenean greece, where horses and water were like the best thing before sliced bread. Still, that aspect of him carried over yearrrsssss and some of his most prominent children in myth, demigods by all means, just…. happen to really like horses. I think that was the founder of thebes’ whole thing. Just a demigod of poseidon’s who liked horses but also did like every cool thing ever. Hate that guy, by the way, and WAY too many people like him recently for him to have been, like….. one of the earliest myths and arguably most boring. But, i digress. 

As for him being the earthshaker, aside from it being what his name (probably) means… he has, like, four kids with earth-related dieties. One of them being with GAIA herself. like. dude. weirdo. Other than that, they just geld the general belief that he was so powerful (or something) that he could shake the very earth. It’s fun, he’s fun, and i love him. 

(Someone… someone give me gods to talk about next week. I like doing this. I’ll do (Almost) anyone.)

Author: Danny Freels

In any situation, under any circumstance, I'd rather be loud and incorrect over being silent and right. I'd rather speak loudly when I do, in the case someone needs to hear it - If a correction needs to be made or not. There is a special comfort in having your own thoughts, but a greater connection in sharing that thought with another. Everything you encounter may not be magical, it may not be loving, or it may not be kind. That's not to say everything is ugly; However, if we shy away from what is we will never notice how full up of the good we feel when we do find it. I've devoted myself to telling the ugly the same way I would tell the kind, for the selfish reason of enjoying it that much more when I encounter it. I share that story, that thought of my selfishness, in case I happen to be loud and right. View all posts by Danny Freels