Zeus vs. Poseidon
Zeus-God of the Sky vs. Poseidon-God of the Sea
Dominican College
Anthony Mauriello
Thousands of years ago many people believed in Zeus, the Greek god of the sky. The people of Greece worshipped this idol as their god and his image appeared on most Greek coins. Zeus was the supreme ruler of Mount Olympus and all the other Greek gods and goddesses of the Olympian pantheon. Zeus was the son of Cronus and his sister, Rhea. Also from this relationship had came Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon. But a curse had been put on Cronus, who being of a dishonest and violent nature, when he refused to placate Gaia after he had turned his father off of the thrown. Instead of setting free his brothers, condemned by Uranus never to see the light of day, Cronus kept them shut away in their subterranean prison, which enraged Gaia. Gaia vowed that he would know the very fate that he had put upon his father by being dethroned by his own children. So in order to protect himself from this curse he devoured his offspring as soon as Rhea bore them. The first five he swallowed, but when Zeus was born Rhea decided to save the child. With Gaia’s help she found shelter in a Cretan cave where she delivered the infant. Then taking a stone Rhea wrapped it in swaddling clothing and took it back to Cronus, who, without question, seized it and swallowed it. Zeus had been saved, and with the same stroke Cronus sealed his own fate. (zeus-publications.com) With the help of Gaia, the great Titan goddess we call Mother earth, Rhea placed the care of her infant Zeus in the hands of the ash nymphs who hid him in their cave. Sometimes they hid in the boughs of an ash tree where he could not be found on earth, in the sea or in the sky. The nymphs were helped by the divine goat Amalthei who allowed Zeus to nurse on her milk. Later when she died Zeus turned the goat’s skin into his royal shield, Aegis, to her.
Dominican College
Anthony Mauriello
Thousands of years ago many people believed in Zeus, the Greek god of the sky. The people of Greece worshipped this idol as their god and his image appeared on most Greek coins. Zeus was the supreme ruler of Mount Olympus and all the other Greek gods and goddesses of the Olympian pantheon. Zeus was the son of Cronus and his sister, Rhea. Also from this relationship had came Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon. But a curse had been put on Cronus, who being of a dishonest and violent nature, when he refused to placate Gaia after he had turned his father off of the thrown. Instead of setting free his brothers, condemned by Uranus never to see the light of day, Cronus kept them shut away in their subterranean prison, which enraged Gaia. Gaia vowed that he would know the very fate that he had put upon his father by being dethroned by his own children. So in order to protect himself from this curse he devoured his offspring as soon as Rhea bore them. The first five he swallowed, but when Zeus was born Rhea decided to save the child. With Gaia’s help she found shelter in a Cretan cave where she delivered the infant. Then taking a stone Rhea wrapped it in swaddling clothing and took it back to Cronus, who, without question, seized it and swallowed it. Zeus had been saved, and with the same stroke Cronus sealed his own fate. (zeus-publications.com) With the help of Gaia, the great Titan goddess we call Mother earth, Rhea placed the care of her infant Zeus in the hands of the ash nymphs who hid him in their cave. Sometimes they hid in the boughs of an ash tree where he could not be found on earth, in the sea or in the sky. The nymphs were helped by the divine goat Amalthei who allowed Zeus to nurse on her milk. Later when she died Zeus turned the goat’s skin into his royal shield, Aegis, to her.
Cited: Information about the greek god zeus. (2002). Retrieved from http://www.zeus- publications.com Zeus greek god of the sky. (2003). Retrieved from http://www.men-myths.minds.com DeTraci, R. (2005). Facts on zeus. Retrieved from http://www.about.com Sellers, P. (2003). Poseidon. Encyclopedia mythica. Retrieved (2010, April 1) from http://www.pantheon.org Poseidon Greek god of the sea and earthquakes. (2000). Dictionary of greek and roman biography and mythology. Retrieved (2010, April 1) from http://www.theoi.com Poseidon, greek god and lord of the sea. (2005). Retrieved from http://www.men- myths.minds.com