(g.) Poseidon, Posis "husband" + don... da "of Da" (ie. Consort of Earth mother), or Posis "to drink"
(l.) Neptune
"Earth Shaker", "Earth Holder"
Potamos ("river"), associated with the I.E. God of Freshwater, who attains domain over salt water
as they migrated to the coast.
Hippios, "horsey" another I.E. association with riding-cultures. Horses drowned in his honor.
Domain: The sea. Tectonic plates.
Genealogy: Cronus + Rhea. Brother of Zeus.
Claim to Fame: God of the sea, horse riding, earthquakes, irregular temperaments.
Iconography: trident, waves, fish, horses, ships
Literature: Ovid's Metamorphosis
Myth
I. Poseidon Erechtheum ("original soil"): Despite losing the contest for patronage for Athens (See Athena), Poseidon is appeased by the citizens (in fear or appreciation, we'll never know) and a temple is built in his honor on the grounds of the Parthanon. The Erechtheum is characterized by its Carytid statues, beautiful women holding various items of symbolic significance, which serve the same function as columns.II. Hippios and Demeter: In Arcadia it was rumored that Poseidon pursued his own sister, Demeter, who sought to escape him by disguising herself as a mare. Poseidon transformed into a stallion, and the magical steed Arion is born.
Similar origins for the mythological creature Pegasus as well, as Poseidon entered another tryst with Medusa to the same outcome.
III. Amphitrite: Poseidon took Amphitrite as his wife and had a son Triton. While daddy acts up to bring storms to sink ships, Triton blows his conch shell to calm the seas.
Amphitrite herself works hard to keep her marriage monogamous, and Poseidon is kept on a short leash.
Scylla (daughter of Phorcys), an object of Poseidon's desire is transformed into a monster whose lower half is ringed by dogs. She flees to the straits of Messina, where her and Charybdis (daughter of Poseidon and Gaia), a vicious whirlpool that spews three times a day, work to make sailors lives miserable.
IV. Odysseus: See Odysseus for details on Poseidon's pursuit of this wily hero.
