All 41 Uses of

Poseidon

in

The Odyssey

…at home, escaped the wars and waves. But one man alone …. his heart set on his wife and his return—Calypso, the bewitching nymph, the lustrous goddess, held him back, deep in her arching caverns, craving him for a husband. But then, when the wheeling seasons brought the year around, that year spun out by the gods when he should reach his home, Ithaca—though not even there would he be free of trials, even among his loved ones—then every god took pity, all except Poseidon.†
p. 78..2

He raged on, seething against the great Odysseus till he reached his native land. But now Poseidon had gone to visit the Ethiopians worlds away, Ethiopians off at the farthest limits of mankind, a people split in two, one part where the Sungod sets and part where the Sungod rises.†
p. 78..3

There Poseidon went to receive an offering, bulls and rams by the hundred— far away at the feast the Sea-lord sat and took his pleasure. But the other gods, at home in Olympian Zeus's halls, met for full assembly there, and among them now the father of men and gods was first to speak, sorely troubled, remembering handsome Aegisthus, the man Agamemnon's son, renowned Orestes, killed. Recalling Aegisthus, Zeus harangued the immortal powers: "Ah how shameless—the way these…†
p. 78..4

Great Odysseus who excels all men in wisdom, excels in offerings too he gives the immortal gods who rule the vaulting skies? No, it's the Earth-Shaker, Poseidon, unappeased, forever fuming against him for the Cyclops whose giant eye he blinded: godlike Polyphemus, towering over all the Cyclops' clans in power. The nymph Thoosa bore him, daughter of Phorcys, lord of the barren salt sea—she met Poseidon once in his vaulted caves and they made love. And now for his blinded…†
p. 79..9

…unappeased, forever fuming against him for the Cyclops whose giant eye he blinded: godlike Polyphemus, towering over all the Cyclops' clans in power. The nymph Thoosa bore him, daughter of Phorcys, lord of the barren salt sea—she met Poseidon once in his vaulted caves and they made love. And now for his blinded son the earthquake god— though he won't quite kill Odysseus— drives him far off course from native land. But come, all of us here put heads together now, work out…†
p. 80..1

…love. And now for his blinded son the earthquake god— though he won't quite kill Odysseus— drives him far off course from native land. But come, all of us here put heads together now, work out his journey home so Odysseus can return. Lord Poseidon, I trust, will let his anger go. How can he stand his ground against the will of all the gods at once—one god alone?" Athena, her eyes flashing bright, exulted, "Father, son of Cronus, our high and mighty king! If now it really…†
p. 80..2

…wake, climbing the bronze sky to shower light on immortal gods and mortal men across the plowlands ripe with grain— the ship pulled into Pylos, Neleus' storied citadel, where the people lined the beaches, sacrificing sleek black bulls to Poseidon, god of the sea-blue mane who shakes the earth. They sat in nine divisions, each five hundred strong, each division offering up nine bulls, and while the people tasted the innards, burned the thighbones for the god, the craft and…†
p. 107..4

…and his father. He gave them a share of innards, poured some wine in a golden cup and, lifting it warmly toward Athena, daughter of Zeus whose shield is storm and thunder, greeted the goddess now with an invitation: "Say a prayer to lord Poseidon, stranger, his is the feast you've found on your arrival. But once you've made your libation and your prayer- all according to ancient custom—hand this cup of hearty, seasoned wine to your comrade here so he can pour forth too.†
p. 108..9

…why I give the gold cup first to you." With that Pisistratus placed in her hand the cup of mellow wine and Pallas rejoiced at the prince's sense of tact in giving the golden winecup first to her. At once she prayed intensely to Poseidon: "Hear me, Sea-lord, you who embrace the earth— don't deny our wishes, bring our prayers to pass! First, then, to Nestor and all his sons grant glory. Then to all these Pylians, for their splendid rites grant a reward that warms their…†
p. 109..3

…you who embrace the earth— don't deny our wishes, bring our prayers to pass! First, then, to Nestor and all his sons grant glory. Then to all these Pylians, for their splendid rites grant a reward that warms their gracious hearts. And last, Poseidon, grant Telemachus and myself safe passage home, the mission accomplished that sped us here in our rapid black ship." So she prayed, and brought it all to pass. She offered the rich two-handled cup to Telemachus, Odysseus' son, who…†
p. 109..5

…Euboea now, escape a catastrophe, fast as we could sail! A shrilling wind came up, stiff, driving us on and on we raced, over the sea-lanes rife with fish and we made Geraestus Point in the dead of night. Many thighs of bulls we offered Poseidon there— thank god we'd crossed that endless reach of sea. Then on the fourth day out the crews of Diomedes, breaker of horses, moored their balanced ships at Argos port, but I held course for Pylos, yes, and never once did the good…†
p. 113..1

…to join their ranks. They escorted Prince Telemachus in to sit beside them. Nestor, noble charioteer, began the celebration: "Quickly, my children, carry out my wishes now so I may please the gods, Athena first of all— she came to me at Poseidon's flowing feast, Athena in all her glory! Now someone go to the fields to fetch a heifer, lead her here at once—a herdsman drive her in. Someone hurry down to Prince Telemachus' black ship and bring up all his crewmen, leave just…†
p. 120..9

Proteus of Egypt does, the immortal Old Man of the Sea who never lies, who sounds the deep in all its depths, Poseidon's servant. He's my father, they say, he gave me life.†
p. 136..7 *

…your bronze-armored units died on the way home—you know who died in the fighting, you were there yourself. And one is still alive, held captive, somewhere, off in the endless seas …. Ajax, now, went down with his long-oared fleet. First Poseidon drove him onto the cliffs of Gyrae, looming cliffs, then saved him from the breakers— he'd have escaped his doom, too, despite Athena's hate, if he hadn't flung that brazen boast, the mad blind fool. "In the teeth of the gods," he…†
p. 140..4

Poseidon heard that frantic vaunt and the god grasped his trident in both his massive hands and struck the Gyraean headland, hacked the rock in two, and the giant stump stood fast but the jagged spur where Ajax perched at first, the raving madman— toppling into the sea, it plunged him down, down in the vast, seething depths.†
p. 140..5

…port as he cut across the sea. And seventeen days he sailed, making headway well; on the eighteenth, shadowy mountains slowly loomed …. the Phaeacians' island reaching toward him now, over the misty breakers, rising like a shield. But now Poseidon, god of the earthquake, saw him— just returning home from his Ethiopian friends, from miles away on the Solymi mountain-range he spied Odysseus sailing down the sea and it made his fury boil even more. He shook his head and rumbled…†
p. 161..2

…to me. As long as the timbers cling and joints stand fast, I'll hold out aboard her and take a whipping— once the breakers smash my craft to pieces, then I'll swim—no better plan for now." But just as great Odysseus thrashed things out, Poseidon god of the earthquake launched a colossal wave, terrible, murderous, arching over him, pounding down on him, hard as a windstorm blasting piles of dry parched chaff, scattering flying husks—so the long planks of his boat were…†
p. 163..8

…our city, ringed by walls and strong high towers too, with a fine harbor either side …. and the causeway in is narrow; along the road the rolling ships are all hauled up, with a slipway cleared for every vessel. There's our assembly, round Poseidon's royal precinct, built of quarried slabs planted deep in the earth. Here the sailors tend their black ships' tackle, cables and sails, and plane their oarblades down. Phaeacians, you see, care nothing for bow or quiver, only for…†
p. 176..9

Gifts of Poseidon, ah what ships they are— quick as a bird, quick as a darting thought!" And Pallas Athena sped away in the lead as he followed in her footsteps, man and goddess. But the famed Phaeacian sailors never saw him, right in their midst, striding down their streets. Athena the one with lovely braids would not permit it, the awesome goddess poured an enchanted mist around him, harboring kindness for Odysseus in her heart. And he marveled now at the balanced ships and…†
p. 180..7

She comes, in fact, from the same stock that bred our King Alcinous. First came Nausithous, son of the earthquake god Poseidon and Periboea, the lovely, matchless beauty, the youngest daughter of iron-willed Eurymedon, king of the overweening Giants years ago. He led that reckless clan to its own ruin, killed himself in the bargain, but the Sea-lord lay in love with Periboea and she produced a son, Nausithous, that lionheart who ruled Phaeacia well. Now, Nausithous had two…†
p. 181..4

…bind them fast till our Father pays my bride-gifts back in full, all I handed him for that shameless bitch his daughter, irresistible beauty—all unbridled too!" So Hephaestus wailed as the gods came crowding up to his bronze-floored house. Poseidon god of the earthquake came, and Hermes came, the running god of luck, and the Archer, lord Apollo, while modesty kept each goddess to her mansion. The immortals, givers of all good things, stood at the gates, and uncontrollable…†
p. 201..8

…the giant-killer cried. "Archer, bind me down with triple those endless chains! Let all you gods look on, and all you goddesses too— how I'd love to bed that golden Aphrodite!" A peal of laughter broke from the deathless ones but not Poseidon, not a smile from him; he kept on begging the famous Smith to loose the god of war, pleading, his words flying, "Let him go! I guarantee you Ares will pay the price, whatever you ask, Hephaestus, whatever's right in the eyes of all…†
p. 202..5

Nausithous used to say that lord Poseidon was vexed with us because we escorted all mankind and never came to grief. He said that one day, as a well-built ship of ours sailed home on the misty sea from such a convoy, the god would crush it, yes, and pile a huge mountain round about our port. So the old king foretold ….†
p. 209..6

Up the coast or close in? I'd just like to know.' So he laid his trap but he never caught me, no, wise to the world I shot back in my crafty way, 'My ship? Poseidon god of the earthquake smashed my ship, he drove it against the rocks at your island's far cape, he dashed it against a cliff as the winds rode us in. I and the men you see escaped a sudden death.' Not a word in reply to that, the ruthless brute. Lurching up, he lunged out with his hands toward my men and…†
p. 220..5

…or force!' 'Nobody, friends'—Polyphemus bellowed back from his cave— 'Nobody's killing me now by fraud and not by force!' 'If you're alone,' his friends boomed back at once, 'and nobody's trying to overpower you now—look, it must be a plague sent here by mighty Zeus and there's no escape from that. You'd better pray to your father, Lord Poseidon.' They lumbered off, but laughter filled my heart to think how nobody's name—my great cunning stroke— had duped them one and all.†
p. 224..5

…one Odysseus. But I always looked for a handsome giant man to cross my path, some fighter clad in power like armor-plate, but now, look what a dwarf, a spineless good-for-nothing, stuns me with wine, then gouges out my eye! Come here, Odysseus, let me give you a guest-gift and urge Poseidon the earthquake god to speed you home. I am his son and he claims to be my father, true, and he himself will heal me if he pleases— no other blessed god, no man can do the work!' 'Heal you!†
p. 227..8

…was my parting shot—'Would to god I could strip you of life and breath and ship you down to the House of Death as surely as no one will ever heal your eye, not even your earthquake god himself!' But at that he bellowed out to lord Poseidon, thrusting his arms to the starry skies, and prayed, 'Hear me— Poseidon, god of the sea-blue mane who rocks the earth! If I really am your son and you claim to be my father— come, grant that Odysseus, raider of cities, Laertes' son who…†
p. 228..1

Poseidon, god of the sea-blue mane who rocks the earth!†
p. 228..1

…reach his well-built house and his own native country, let him come home late and come a broken man—all shipmates lost, alone in a stranger's ship— and let him find a world of pain at home!' So he prayed and the god of the sea-blue mane, Poseidon, heard his prayer. The monster suddenly hoisted a boulder—far larger— wheeled and heaved it, putting his weight behind it, massive strength, and the boulder crashed close, landing just in the wake of our dark stern, just failing to…†
p. 228..4

…so clear you cannot miss it: When another traveler falls in with you and calls that weight across your shoulder a fan to winnow grain, then plant your bladed, balanced oar in the earth and sacrifice fine beasts to the lord god of the sea, Poseidon—a ram, a bull and a ramping wild boar— then journey home and render noble offerings up to the deathless gods who rule the vaulting skies, to all the gods in order. And at last your own death will steal upon you …. a gentle, painless…†
p. 253..8

…this year has run its course you will give birth to glorious children— bedding down with the gods is never barren, futile— and you must tend them, breed and rear them well. Now home you go, and restrain yourself, I say, never breathe your lover's name but know— I am Poseidon, god who rocks the earth!' With that he dove back in the heaving waves and she conceived for the god and bore him Pelias, Neleus, and both grew up to be stalwart aides of Zeus almighty, both men alike.†
p. 257..7

…limbs in the old days. I wept at the sight, my heart went out to the man, my words too, in a winging flight of pity: 'Famous Atrides, lord of men Agamemnon! What fatal stroke of destiny brought you down? Wrecked in the ships when lord Poseidon roused some punishing blast of stormwinds, gust on gust? Or did ranks of enemies mow you down on land as you tried to raid and cut off herds and flocks or fought to win their city, take their women?' The field marshal's ghost replied at…†
p. 262..5

…land as you tried to raid and cut off herds and flocks or fought to win their city, take their women?' The field marshal's ghost replied at once: 'Royal son of Laertes, Odysseus, mastermind of war, I was not wrecked in the ships when lord Poseidon roused some punishing blast of stormwinds, gust on gust, nor did ranks of enemies mow me down on land— Aegisthus hatched my doom and my destruction, he killed me, he with my own accursed wife …. he invited me to his palace, sat me…†
p. 262..7

They heaped them all by the olive's trunk, in a neat pile, clear of the road for fear some passerby might spot and steal Odysseus' hoard before he could awaken. Then pushing off, they pulled for home themselves. But now Poseidon, god of the earthquake, never once forgetting the first threats he leveled at the hero, probed almighty Zeus to learn his plans in full: "Zeus, Father, I will lose all my honor now among the immortals, now there are mortal men who show me no…†
p. 290..6

…hove into plain view!" They might well wonder, blind to what had happened, till Alcinous rose and made things all too clear: "Oh no—my father's prophecy years ago …. it all comes home to me with a vengeance now! He used to say Poseidon was vexed with us because we escorted all mankind and never came to grief. He said that one day, as a well-built ship of ours sailed home on the misty sea from such a convoy, the god would crush it, yes, and pile a huge mountain round…†
p. 292..2

As for Poseidon, sacrifice twelve bulls to the god at once— the pick of the herds.†
p. 292..5

Perhaps he'll pity us, pile no looming mountain ridge around our port." The people, terrified, prepared the bulls at once. So all of Phaeacia's island lords and captains, milling round the altar, lifted prayers to Poseidon, master of the sea …. That very moment great Odysseus woke from sleep on native ground at last— he'd been away for years—but failed to know the land for the goddess Pallas Athena, Zeus's daughter, showered mist over all, so under cover she might change his…†
p. 292..7

…to the proof yourself! But she, she waits in your halls, as always, her life an endless hardship …. wasting away the nights, weeping away the days. I never had doubts myself, no, I knew down deep that you would return at last, with all your shipmates lost. But I could not bring myself to fight my Father's brother, Poseidon, quaking with anger at you, still enraged because you blinded the Cyclops, his dear son. But come, let me show you Ithaca's setting, I'll convince you.†
p. 297..7

…more she spoke, the more a deep desire for tears welled up inside his breast—he wept as he held the wife he loved, the soul of loyalty, in his arms at last. Joy, warm as the joy that shipwrecked sailors feel when they catch sight of land—Poseidon has struck their well-rigged ship on the open sea with gale winds and crushing walls of waves, and only a few escape, swimming, struggling out of the frothing surf to reach the shore, their bodies crusted with salt but buoyed up with…†
p. 463..2

…I will share it with you now …. When another traveler falls in with me and calls that weight across my shoulder a fan to winnow grain, then, he told me, I must plant my oar in the earth and sacrifice fine beasts to the lord god of the sea, Poseidon—a ram, a bull and a ramping wild boar— then journey home and render noble offerings up to the deathless gods who rule the vaulting skies, to all the gods in order. And at last my own death will steal upon me …. a gentle, painless…†
p. 464..7

What laid you low? Wrecked in the ships when lord Poseidon roused some punishing blast of gales and heavy breakers? Or did ranks of enemies mow you down on land as you tried to raid and cut off herds and flocks or fought to win their city, take their women? Answer me, tell me.†
p. 471..9

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Definition:

(Poseidon)
Greek mythology: the god of the sea and earthquakes

Poseidon in The Odyssey

Poseidon

in

The Odyssey