Poseidon: theology part 1

[Quintus Aurelius Orcus]

Salvete

Poseidon: God of the Sea and Oceans

Theology

In Classical times Poseidon was the primary Greek sea-god, powerful and temperamental. He was the son of Kronos and Rhea, and brother to Zeus, Hades, Hera, Demeter, and the rest of the Olympians. His with was Amphitrite who, like Hera, had to put up with the many illicit liaisons of her husband.
Poseidon was the god of earthquakes and water, secondarily of the sea. In fact, his original character may not have been a sea-god at all. After all, it was only after he had joined with Zeus to overthrow Kronos that he became a sea-god in Greek mythology. This seems to happen after Poseidon married to Amphitrite, which was the most important of all his marriages. He had several children with her as with other Goddesses and mortals.
His accouterments include his horses-drawn chariot, which seems unusual as well as unlikely for a sea-god. Poseidon was the god of water in general, this could include fresh water as well as clouds and rainwater. Indeed, Poseidon's chariot could ride quickly above the waves just a clouds and mists. Poseidon also had a trident, which could have been emblematic of the three sources of fresh water - clouds, rivers and lakes, and wells and springs. The symbols associated with Poseidon include: dolphins, tridents, and three-pronged fish spears.
Poseidon may have originally been a fertility god often found with the heavenly and underworld gods in a triad - or a triune of the All-Father. Indeed, one epithet has him as Poseidon Patras ('Poseidon the Father'). In any event, we should recognize that his chariot, horses, and the horse sacrifices the Greeks made to him identify him as an foreign god brought to Hellas by the Greeks. But his name might already appear in the linear tablet. The Roman knew Poseidon as Neptune. His name seems derived from various words for cloud. This name also seems reflected in the name of Nauplios, a son of Poseidon.
The etymology of Poseidon's name, however, is uncertain, though it seems probably Greek and not pre-Hellenic. Various candidates for its meaning include 'Lord of Horses', 'Husband of the Earth', or 'Lord of the Earth'. However, archaic versions of the name include poseidao:n, poteidawo:n, poti:dao:n, and similar variations. This would seem to translate, I believe, as 'Lord of the World River'. Poseidon's most fearsome titles include enosichthon, 'earth-shaker', and gainochos, 'holder of the earth'. The latter is probably connected with his myth including Demeter, who is commonly seen as an earth-goddess.
Poseidon could also take the form of a horse, known as Poseidon Hippios ('Lord of Horses'). In fact, he did so in two important myths. In one he seduced the goddess Demeter, also in the form of a horse. By their union the winged horse Arion was born. The other time was with Medusa in a temple of Athena's. This begat the winged horse Pegasus and the enmity of Athena, who turned the once-beautiful Medusa into the hideous beast that Perseus slew. With his older brother Zeus and his other brother Hades, he formed a triad, with Zeus inheriting Heaven as his domain, Poseidon the Sea, and Hades the Underworld. He displaced Nereus, the more ancient sea-god, after the triad had divided the world between them. In the sea, Poseidon built a fabulous palace made of gleaming gold.
In another myth, Poseidon gave a shimmering white bull that rose out of the sea to Minos to sacrifice. However, Minos was so impressed with the magnificent bull, he instead set it amongst his herd, which was close by the pasture of the herd owned by Helios. Enraged at this deceit, Poseidon made the bull wild, and awoke within Minos' queen Pasiphae an unnatural desire for it, she pursuing it until she finally caught it, and gave birth to the Minotaur. Bulls were Poseidon's other totemic animals other than horses, and he was depicted as such in rituals. This was perhaps because of his ancient function as a fertility-god or because of his power as an earth-shaker. Either way, the Greeks sacrificed bulls to him, calling him Taureos ('Lord of Bulls').

Valete optime
Romulus

[Quintus Aurelius Orcus]

Salvete
this is part 2.
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Homeros identified Poseidon as, along with Apollo, the tutelary god of Troy. Still, the Trojan War was instigated after King Priamos reneged on his promise to reward Apollo and Poseidon for building his city's walls. In revenge, Poseidon sent a sea monster to ravage the land of Troy.
Poseidon is also found at Athens vying with Athena as the patron deity of that city. Trying to win the people over, Poseidon strikes a rock to make a spring for them. Unfortunately, it is seawater and unusable. Athena then created the olive tree, a mainstay of the ancient Mediterranean economy, and wins the people over.
In the myth of Leto, he raised the sea to cover the floating island of Delos so that she could bear Apollo and Artemis protected from the wrath of Hera. According to Herodotus, Poseidon was the father of Athena, though this myth is largely ignored in favor of Zeus' parentage. Poseidon is also given as the alternate father of the mortal heroes Bellerophon, Theseus, and Pelops.
He was mostly depicted bearded and robed in earlier times, losing his robes (like most Greek gods) in the classical era. Without his trident, however, he is difficult to distinguish from Zeus.
His alliance with Demeter suggests a relationship between the two Gods. His name Poseidon or Poteidan which means, "husband of the Goddess Da". This Goddess Da could be Demeter because her name could also be written Da Mater, but Da also means Earth. His surname Gaiaochos tells us that about his marriage with mother Earth, an union which brought forth Antaios and other monsters like the Cyclops Polyphemos. Even though it was Zeus who was spared the fate of being devoured, another story tells us how Rhea deceived Kronos when Poseidon was born. There are several versions of his birth as of his marriage. He once married Theophane, granddaughter of Gaia and Helios and daughter to the king of Macedonia. Her name means either "she who causes a god to appear" or she who appears as a goddess." Suitors contended this woman until Poseidon takes her away to a island where he turned her into a sheep and himself as a ram. He also turned the inhabitants of the island into sheep so that the suitors could not discover them and Poseidon consummated his marriage, which brought forth the ram with the Golden Fleece. Regarding his alternative birth story, Poseidon was brought to the island of Rhodes where the Telchines lived underground and Rhea asked them to raise him. They had a sister called Halia; a sea goddess whom Poseidon fell in love with when he was grown up. This led to the birth of 6 men who chased later Aphrodite away of their island. Aphrodite punished them by letting them rape their mother. They oppressed the islanders until Poseidon intervened and punished them by sending them to the underground. Halia threw herself into the sea and turned into the Goddess Leukothia. Halia's daughter Rhodos is the same person as Rhode, who was also said to have been a daughter of Aphrodite or of Amphitrite. All these names must have been applied to one great goddess who was called Hekate, Kabeiro or Demeter Kabeiria and was regarded as the mother of the Kabeiroi.
Sailors for a safe voyage on the sea relied upon Poseidon. Many men drowned horses in sacrifice of his honor. He lived on the ocean floor in a palace made of coral and gems, and drove a chariot pulled by horses. However, Poseidon was a very moody divinity, and his temperament could sometimes result in violence. When he was in a good mood, Poseidon created new lands in the water and a calm sea. In contrast, when he was in a bad mood, Poseidon would strike the ground with a trident and cause unruly springs and earthquakes, shipwrecks, and drowning.
Poseidon was similar to his brother Zeus in exerting his power on women and in objectifying masculinity. He had many love affairs and fathered numerous children. Poseidon once married a Nereid, Amphitrite, and produced Triton who was half-human and half-fish. He also impregnated the Gorgon Medusa to conceive Chrysaor and Pegasus, the flying horse. The rape of Aethra by Poseidon resulted in the birth of Theseus; and he turned Caeneus into a man, at her request, after raping her. Another rape involved Amymone when she tried to escape from a satyr and Poseidon saved her. Other offspring of Poseidon include Eumolpus, the Giant Sinis, Polyphemus, Orion, King Amycus, Proteus, Agenor and Belus from Europa, Pelias, and the King of Egypt, Busiris.
One of the most notorious love affairs of Poseidon involves his sister, Demeter. Poseidon pursued Demeter and to avoid him she turned herself into a mare. In his lust for her, Poseidon transformed himself into a stallion and captured her. Their procreation resulted in a horse, Arion. Poseidon is Greek for "Husband" (possibly of wheat), and therefore it is thought that he and Demeter (goddess of wheat) is a good match because they reign as the god and goddess of fertility.
Another infamous story of Poseidon involves the competition between him and the goddess of war, Athena, for the city of Athens. To win the people of the city over, Poseidon threw a spear at the ground and produced the spring at the Acropolis. However, Athena won as the result of giving the people of Athens the olive tree. In his anger over the decision, Poseidon flooded the Attic Plain. Eventually, Athena and Poseidon worked together by combining their powers. Even though Poseidon was the god of horses, Athena built the first chariot. Athena also built the first ship to sail on the sea over which Poseidon ruled. Poseidon often used his powers of earthquakes, water, and horses to inflict fear and punishment on people as revenge. Though he could be difficult and assert his powers over the gods and mortals, Poseidon could be cooperative and it was he who helped the Greeks during the Trojan War. Poseidon is an essential character in the study of Greek mythology.
Poseidon is the powerful earth-shaker, the Big Bull, Ruler of the Seas. Poseidon is the powerful God who was worshiped by seamen but also by fishermen as on the land and Poseidon is a God whose temper quick changes like the sea does. He is responsible for the creation of the horse, which he created for the Goddess Demeter out of love for her. The myth tells the story that Poseidon felt in love with Demeter but that she doesn't want anything to do with hem. Thus she said to him that she was his if he creates the most beautiful creature but when he did it, his love for her cooled down and was the trick successful.
Poseidon is the Zeus of the Sea and oceans. Hades is the king of chthonic Gods, Zeus is the king of the Gods and Poseidon is the king of the water and river gods. He is also responsible for earthquakes, tsunamis. He causes this by touching the ground or water with his attribute: the Trident. All Gods of the Sea and Oceans possesses one but Poseidon trident is made out of pure gold. Like his brother Zeus, they share the same personality, which i mean by seducing women and goddesses alike. Poseidon would have had 34 mistresses. Under the many mistresses, where also Aphrodite, Gaia, Medusa, Caenea. Like the other Gods is the Sea god neither good nor evil. He's both. He is as destructive as creative. By his gifts, civilizations flourish separately and they can as just as easy be destroyed. He doesn't just create civilizations but also life in the seas and oceans as in the rivers. Al those who sail on the sea must pay tribute to him cause he is the maker of storms and typhoons. His wife is the Nereid Amphitrite whose marriage can be compared with those of Zeus' and Hera's. She is one of the 50 daughters of the Sea gods Doris and Nereus. When he was in love with her, she didn't want anything to do with him. To gain her for him, he sent the messenger Delphinus to her. He made a such good case for Poseidon that she accepted to marry Poseidon. To show his gratitude for what he did, Poseidon gave Delphinus a place in the heavens as a constellation. He has fought with many Gods over the ruling of several cities on the mainland but his most famous struggle was that with Athena over Athens. He had fought with Hera over Argos, with Apollo over Corinthe, etc... It was true his associations with horses that made him important to the Romans when they equalize him with their Seagod Neptune. Poseidon was at first not happy about the part of the world he got so a conspiracy came into existence until this was discovered and he was banned from Olympos along with Apollo. Like i already said, Poseidon married Amphitrite but he had more than 116 mistresses according to one source. And more than 120 childeren which included Aeolus(Arne), Aethuse & Anthas(Alcyone), Asopus(Celusa), Aspledon(Mideia), Chrysaon(Medusa), Orion(Euryale), Despoina(Demeter),
Eirene(Melantheia), Eryx, Sybl(Lamia),Proteus, Triton and many others. He had many other names including Enosichton(Earthshaker), Ennosigaeus. His nickname was Cyanochaetes . His sacred animals are horses, bulls and dolphins. Poseidon is honored at the Poseidea, his annual festival and on the eight day of each Hellenic month along with his heroic son Theseus. Fishermen offered him the first fruits of the tuna catch, and modern intuitions suggests that he enjoys offerings of biscuits (because of their saltiness) and foamy stout tossed into the waves. Sailors, fishermen, and all who work on or around the sea are his. He values strength and courage, but is not above taking even the most beloved sailor down to the briny depths. He is a chaotic God, completely unpredictable. The Lord of the deep is also a god of oracles. The oracle of the dead at Cape Tainaron is dedicated to Poseidon and he is even mentioned as an original lord of Delphi. His intimate enemy Odysseus who even reached the Underworld in search of an oracle, becomes the priest of Poseidon whou founds a new cult place of the God, probably an oracle of the dead, according to Burkert
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Valete optime
Romulus

[Quintus Aurelius Orcus]

Salvete
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Epitheths:

Aspheleios (Steadfast)
Erekhteus (alternate name)
Petraios (of the Rock)
Phutalmios (Nourishing)
Soter (Savior)
As lord of the Sea:

Pelagaios (marine)
Basileus (king)
Prosklystios (He who Dashes Against/ Floods the Land)
Phytalmios (Plant Nurturer (Remover of Brine from the Soil)

As Protector of Sea-Voyages:

Asphalios (Securer / Giver of Safe Voyage)
Epoptês (Overseer, Watcher)

As God of Earthquakes:

enosichthon, (earth-shaker)
gainochos, (holder of the earth)
Gaiaokhos (Earth- holder)

As God of Horses:

Hippios (lord of horses)
Hippokourios (Horse-Tender)

God of Family and Kin:

Patros (Father)
Genethlios [Of Kindred (race or family)]
Dômatitês (Of the House)

Another common set of cult titles derived from the towns, cities and other locales where his shrines were located, or named after the founder of a cult:
Isthmios [Of the Isthmos (of Korinthos)]
Tainarios [Of Tainaron (in Lakedaimonia)]
Genesios [Of Genesion (in Argos)]
Helikônion [Of Helike (in Akhaia) OR
Of Mt Helikon (in Boiotia)]
Onkhêstios [Of Onkhestos (in Boiotia)]

Other cult titles:

Laoitês. This has no translation but it is rather an obscure cult title.
Poseidônion (Temple of Poseidon)
Poseidônia (Festival of Poseidon)

One can honor him by learning a water sport like diving or snorkeling. Ride horses and support therapeutic programs for children and the disabled. Work and fight to preserve the oceans and marine wildlife.
His primary cult centers are:
Cape Sounion, Pylos, Mount Mykale
His Festivals are the Isthmian Games: 2nd and 4th years of the Olympiad, Poseidea: 8 Poseidon (December-January) and each 8th day of the month

Sources:

Theoi project
Drew Campbell: Old Stones, New Temples
Karl Kereny: Gods of the Greeks
Walter Burkert: Greek religon
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valete optime
Romulus