A trident ( / ˈ t r aɪ d ə n t / ) is a three- pronged spear . It is used for spear fishing and historically as a polearm . As compared to an ordinary spear, the three tines increase the chance that a fish will be struck and decrease the chance that a fish will be able to dislodge itself if struck badly. On the other hand, they are not so many as to overly reduce the spear's concentration of force for piercing .
136-408: The trident is the tool of Poseidon ( Greek ) or Neptune ( Roman ) used for the protection of the sea realms, the god of the sea in classical mythology . Other sea deities such as Amphitrite or Triton were also often depicted with a trident in classical art . Later, tridents were used in medieval heraldry , sometimes held by a merman or triton . In Hinduism , it is the weapon of Shiva and
272-479: A decorticator to remove leaves, seeds and buds from the stalks of plants such as flax and hemp . A form of trident is used by the gardians in the Camargue of southern France for herding cattle. In Ancient Rome tridents ( Latin : tridens or fuscina ) were used by a type of gladiator called a retiarius or "net fighter". The retiarius was traditionally pitted against a secutor , and cast
408-464: A "foot-bond" (ποσίδεσμον), or he "knew many things" (πολλά εἰδότος or πολλά εἰδῶν). Beekes suggests that the word has probably a Pre-Greek origin. The original form was probably the Mycenean Greek Ποτ(σ)ειδάϝων ( Pot(s)eidawōn ). "The inervocalic aspiration suggests a Pre Greek (Pelasgian) origin rather than an Indoeuropean one". If surviving Linear B clay tablets can be trusted,
544-416: A bull. In Greece the river god Acheloos is represented like a bull or a man-bull. Many people when sacrificed to Demeter should make a premilinary sacrifice to Acheloos At Phigalia Demeter had a sanctuary in a cavern and she was given the surname Melaina (black). The goddess was related to the black undeworld. In a similar myth Poseidon appears as horse and Demeter gives birth to a daughter whose name
680-433: A few, such as the orca, feed on large mammals such as seals. Male dolphins typically mate with multiple females every year, but females only mate every two to three years. Calves are typically born in the spring and summer months and females bear all the responsibility for raising them. Mothers of some species fast and nurse their young for a relatively long period of time. Dolphins produce a variety of vocalizations, usually in
816-425: A fully asleep state where both eyes are closed and there is no response to mild external stimuli. In this case, respiration is automatic; a tail kick reflex keeps the blowhole above the water if necessary. Anesthetized dolphins initially show a tail kick reflex. Though a similar state has been observed with wild sperm whales , it is not known if dolphins in the wild reach this state. The Indus river dolphin has
952-529: A horse and mating with Demeter was not localized in Arcadia. At Haliartos in Boeotia near Thebes Poseidon appears as stallion. He mates with Erinys near the spring of Tilpousa and she gives birth to the faboulous horse Arion . At Tilpusa we have a very old cult of the chthonic deities Erinys and Poseidon. The water-god Poseidon appears as a horse which seems to represent the water-spirit and Erinys
1088-569: A horse, and gave him a foal to swallow instead of the child. In the Homeric Hymn Demeter puts a dark mourning robe around her shoulders as a sign of her sorrow. Demeter's mare-form was worshipped into historical times. The xoanon of Melaina at Phigalia shows how the local cult interpreted her, as goddess of nature. A Medusa type with a horse's head with snaky hair, holding a dove and a dolphin, probably representing her power over air and water. The myth of Poseidon appearing as
1224-399: A magnificent temple upon a hill, Pontomedon ( Ποντομέδων ), " lord of the sea" ( Pindar , Aeschylus ) and Kymothales ( Κυμοθαλής ), "abounding with waves", indicate that Poseidon was regarded as holding sway over the sea. Other epithets that relate him with the sea are, Porthmios ( Πόρθμιος ), "of strait, narrow sea" at Karpathos , Epactaeus ( Ἐπακταῖος ) "god worshipped on
1360-465: A male dolphin is, the more likely his body is to be covered with bite scars. Male dolphins can get into disputes over companions and females. Acts of aggression can become so intense that targeted dolphins sometimes go into exile after losing a fight. Male bottlenose dolphins have been known to engage in infanticide . Dolphins have also been known to kill porpoises (porpicide) for reasons which are not fully understood, as porpoises generally do not share
1496-478: A mare to avoid Poseidon. Poseidon took the form of a stallion and after their mating she gave birth to a daughter whose name was not allowed to be told to the unitiated and a horse called Arion (very swift). Her daughter obviously had the shape of a mare too. At first Demeter became angry and she was given the surname Erinys (fury) by the Thelpusians. The Erinyes were deities of vangeance, and Erinys had
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#17327732406091632-419: A more limited capacity for color vision than most mammals. Most dolphins have slightly flattened eyeballs, enlarged pupils (which shrink as they surface to prevent damage), slightly flattened corneas and a tapetum lucidum (eye tissue behind the retina); these adaptations allow for large amounts of light to pass through the eye and, therefore, a very clear image of the surrounding area. They also have glands on
1768-461: A net to wrap his adversary and then used the trident to fight him. Tridents were also used in medieval heraldry . The trident, known as dangpa , is used as a weapon in the 17th- to 18th-century systems of Korean martial arts . The glyph or sigil of the planet Neptune (♆), which alludes to the trident, is used in astronomy and astrology . A number of structures in the biological world are described as trident in appearance. Since at least
1904-622: A sacrifice; in this way, according to a fragmentary papyrus , Alexander the Great paused at the Syrian seashore before the climactic battle of Issus , and resorted to prayers, "invoking Poseidon the sea-god, for whom he ordered a four-horse chariot to be cast into the waves". According to Pausanias , Poseidon was one of the caretakers of the oracle at Delphi before Olympian Apollo took it over. Apollo and Poseidon worked closely in many realms: in colonization, for example, Delphic Apollo provided
2040-573: A short timespan. The gestation period varies with species; for the small tucuxi dolphin , this period is around 11 to 12 months, while for the orca, the gestation period is around 17 months. Typically dolphins give birth to a single calf, which is, unlike most other mammals, born tail first in most cases. They usually become sexually active at a young age, even before reaching sexual maturity . The age of sexual maturity varies by species and sex. Dolphins are known to display non-reproductive sexual behavior , engaging in masturbation , stimulation of
2176-407: A similar function with the goddess Dike (Justice). In the very old myth of Thelpusa Demeter-Erinys and Poseidon are divinities of the underworld in a pre-mythic period. Poseidon appears as a horse. In Greek folklore the horses had chthonic associations and it was believed that they could create springs. In European folklore the water-creatures or water-spirits appear with the shape of a horse or
2312-419: A sleep method that is different from that of other dolphin species. Living in water with strong currents and potentially dangerous floating debris, it must swim continuously to avoid injury. As a result, this species sleeps in very short bursts which last between 4 and 60 seconds. There are various feeding methods among and within species, some apparently exclusive to a single population. Fish and squid are
2448-492: A temple at Tainaron . Pausanias describes a sanctuary of Poseidon near Sparta beside the shrine of Alcon, where he had the surname Domatites ( Δωματίτης ), "of the house" Homer uses for Poseidon the title Kyanochaites ( Κυανοχαίτης ), "dark-haired, dark blue of the sea". Epithets like Pelagios ( Πελάγιος ) "of the open sea", Aegeus ( Αἰγαίος ), "of the high sea" in the town of Aegae in Euboea , where he had
2584-411: A thin layer of blubber, which develops at different paces depending on the habitat. Dolphins have a two-chambered stomach that is similar in structure to terrestrial carnivores. They have fundic and pyloric chambers. Dolphins' reproductive organs are located inside the body, with genital slits on the ventral (belly) side. Males have two slits, one concealing the penis and one further behind for
2720-524: Is conflation of the deities in Romano-British iconography, and examples exist where the crab-claw headed Oceanus also bears a trident. Oceanus holding a trident has been found on Romano-British coinage as well. Some amorini have been depicted carrying tiny tridents. The trident is even seen suspended like a pendant on a dolphin in Roman mosaic art. In Hindu legends and stories Shiva ,
2856-1215: Is a horrifying and avenging god and must be honoured even when he is not the patron deity of the city. Some scholars suggested that Poseidon was probably a Pelasgian god or a god of the Minyans . However it is possible that Poseidon, like Zeus , was a common god of all Greeks from the beginning. The earliest attested occurrence of the name, written in Linear B , is 𐀡𐀮𐀅𐀃 Po-se-da-o or 𐀡𐀮𐀅𐀺𐀚 Po-se-da-wo-ne , which correspond to Ποσειδάων ( Poseidaōn ) and Ποσειδάϝoνος ( Poseidawοnos ) in Mycenean Greek ; in Homeric Greek it appears as Ποσιδάων ( Posidaōn ); in Aeolic as Ποτε(ι)δάων ( Pote(i)daōn ); in Doric as Ποτειδάν ( Poteidan ) and Ποτειδᾶς ( Poteidas ); in Arcadic as Ποσoιδᾱν ( Posoidan ). In inscriptions with Laconic style from Tainaron , Helos and Thuria as Ποhoιδᾱν ( Pohoidan ), indicating that
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#17327732406092992-630: Is a separate deity from the oldest Greek god of the sea Pontus . In Athens his name is superimposed οn the name of the non-Greek god Erechtheus Ἑρεχθεύς ( Poseidon Erechtheus ). In the Iliad , he is the lord of the sea and his golden palace is built in Aegai, in the depth of the sea. His significance is indicated by his titles Eurykreion ( Εὐρυκρείων ) "wide-ruling", an epithet also applied to Agamemnon and Helikonios anax ( Ἑλικώνιος ἂναξ ), "lord of Helicon or Helike " In Helike of Achaia he
3128-447: Is adapted for both air and water; it is so well developed that some can survive even if they are blind. Some species are well adapted for diving to great depths. They have a layer of fat, or blubber , under the skin to keep warm in the cold water. Dolphins are widespread. Most species prefer the warm waters of the tropic zones, but some, such as the right whale dolphin , prefer colder climates. Dolphins feed largely on fish and squid, but
3264-403: Is also known as kinesthesia, is the body's ability to sense its location, movements and actions. Dolphins are sensitive to vibrations and small pressure changes. Blood vessels and nerve endings can be found within the dermis. There is a plexus of parallel running arteries and veins in the dorsal fin, fluke, and flippers. The blubber manipulates the blood vessels to help the dolphin stay warm. When
3400-773: Is an epithet of Demeter . It is possible that Demeter appears as Da-ma-te in a Linear B inscription (PN EN 609), however the interpretation is still under dispute. Si-to Po-tini-ja is probably related with Demeter as goddess of grain. Tablets from Pylos record sacrificial goods destined for "the Two ladies and the Lord" (or "to the Two Queens and the King": wa-na-soi , wa-na-ka-te ). Wa-na-ssoi may be related with Demeter and Persephone , or their precursors, goddesses who were not associated with Poseidon in later periods. During
3536-569: Is associated with the sea god Poseidon . This divine instrument is said to have been forged by the cyclopes . Poseidon struck a rock with his trident, causing a sea (or a saltwater spring, called the Erechtheis ) to appear nearby on the Acropolis in Athens . And according to Roman sources, Neptune struck the earth with the trident to produce the first warhorse . Poseidon, as well as being
3672-573: Is called a school or a pod . Male dolphins are called bulls , females are called cows and young dolphins are called calves . In 1933, three hybrid dolphins beached off the Irish coast; they were hybrids between Risso's and bottlenose dolphins. This mating was later repeated in captivity, producing a hybrid calf. In captivity, a bottlenose and a rough-toothed dolphin produced hybrid offspring. A common-bottlenose hybrid lives at SeaWorld California. Other dolphin hybrids live in captivity around
3808-425: Is calming the waves to aid Aeneas 's ships. In later Greek and Roman art and literature, other sea deities and their attendants have been depicted holding the trident. Poseidon's consort Amphitrite is often identified by some marine attribute other than a trident, which she never carries according to some scholars, though other commentators have disagreed. Turning to the retinue or a train of beings which follow
3944-516: Is common in Indoeuropean grammar (usually for chthonic deities like the Erinyes ) and the duality was used for Demeter and Persephone in classical Greece (the double named goddesses). Potnia and wanassa refer to identical deities or two aspects of the same deity. E-ri-nu ( Erinys ) is attested in the inscriptions. In some ancient cults Erinys is related to Poseidon and her name
4080-498: Is depicted on some coats-of-arms . In Ancient Greece, the trident was employed as a harpoon for spearing large fish, especially tuna fishing. Tridents used in modern spear-fishing usually have barbed tines , which trap the speared fish firmly. In the Southern and Midwestern United States , gigging is used for harvesting suckers , bullfrogs , flounder and many species of rough fish . It has been used by farmers as
4216-621: Is famous for his contests with other deities for winning the patronage of the city. According to legend, Athena became the patron goddess of the city of Athens after a competition with Poseidon, though he remained on the Acropolis in the form of his surrogate, Erechtheus . After the fight, Poseidon sent a monstrous flood to the Attic plain to punish the Athenians for not choosing him. In similar competitions with other deities in different cities, he causes devastating floods when he loses. Poseidon
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4352-408: Is home to elongated spindle neurons that, prior to 2007, were known only in hominids. In humans, these cells are involved in social conduct, emotions, judgment, and theory of mind. Cetacean spindle neurons are found in areas of the brain that are analogous to where they are found in humans, suggesting that they perform a similar function. Brain size was previously considered a major indicator of
4488-454: Is identified in Linear B, as 𐀁𐀚𐀯𐀅𐀃𐀚 , E-ne-si-da-o-ne . Other epithets that relate him with the earthquakes are Gaieochos ( Γαιήοχος ) and Seisichthon ( Σεισίχθων ) The god who causes the earthquakes is also the protector against them, and he had the epithets Themeliouchos ( Θεμελιούχος ) "upholding the foundations", Asphaleios ( Ἀσφάλειος ) "securer, protector" with
4624-479: Is known as a trishula ( Sanskrit for "triple-spear"). The word "trident" comes from the Latin word tridens or tridentis : tri meaning "three" and dentes meaning "teeth", referring specifically to the three prongs, or "teeth", of the weapon. The Greek equivalent is τρίαινα ( tríaina ), from Proto-Greek trianja , meaning "threefold". The Greek term does not imply three of anything specific, and
4760-701: Is mostly transferred by mothers to daughters, unlike simian primates, where knowledge is generally passed on to both sexes. Using sponges as mouth protection is a learned behavior. Another learned behavior was discovered among river dolphins in Brazil, where some male dolphins use weeds and sticks as part of a sexual display. Forms of care-giving between fellows and even for members of different species (see Moko (dolphin) ) are recorded in various species – such as trying to save weakened fellows or female pilot whales holding up dead calves for long periods. Dolphins engage in acts of aggression towards each other. The older
4896-433: Is much less definitive than when used for primates, because primates can touch the mark or the mirror, while cetaceans cannot, making their alleged self-recognition behavior less certain. Skeptics argue that behaviors that are said to identify self-awareness resemble existing social behaviors, and so researchers could be misinterpreting self-awareness for social responses to another individual. The researchers counter-argue that
5032-545: Is no great difference between the outer and inner environments. Instead of sound passing through the outer ear to the middle ear, dolphins receive sound through the throat, from which it passes through a low-impedance fat-filled cavity to the inner ear. The ear is acoustically isolated from the skull by air-filled sinus pockets, which allow for greater directional hearing underwater. Dolphins generate sounds independently of respiration using recycled air that passes through air sacs and phonic (alternatively monkey) lips. Integral to
5168-620: Is not rigid; interchange is common. They establish strong social bonds, and will stay with injured or ill members, helping them to breathe by bringing them to the surface if needed. This altruism does not appear to be limited to their own species. The dolphin Moko in New Zealand has been observed guiding a female pygmy sperm whale together with her calf out of shallow water where they had stranded several times. They have also been seen protecting swimmers from sharks by swimming circles around
5304-467: Is one of the Twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and mythology , presiding over the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses. He was the protector of seafarers and the guardian of many Hellenic cities and colonies. In pre-Olympian Bronze Age Greece , Poseidon was venerated as a chief deity at Pylos and Thebes , with the cult title "earth shaker"; in the myths of isolated Arcadia , he
5440-516: Is possible that the Greeks did not bring with them other gods except Zeus , Eos , and the Dioskouroi . The Pelasgian god probably represented the fertilising power of water, and then he was he was considered god of the sea . As the sea encircles and holds the earth in its position, Poseidon is the god who holds the earth and who has the ability to shake the earth. The primeval water who encircled
5576-653: Is possible that the name of Poseidon Helikonios in Boeotia whose fest included horseracing derives from the mountain Helikon . The Minyans had trade contacts with Mycenean Pylos and the Achaeans adopted the cult of Poseidon Helikonios . The cult spread in Peloponnese and then to Ionia when the Achaeans migrated to Asia Minor . Nilsson suggested that Poseidon was probably a common god of all Greeks from
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5712-509: Is probably the personification of a revenging earth-spirit. From earlier times at Delphi Poseidon was joined in a religious union with the earth-goddess Ge . She is represented as a snake which is a form of the earth-spirit. In the Theogony of Hesiod Poseidon once slept with the monstrous Medousa near the mountain Helikon . She conceived the winged horse Pegasus who sprang out of her body when Perseus cut off her head. Pegasus stuck
5848-478: Is related to Demeter and Persephone and was venerated as a horse, and as a god of the waters. Poseidon maintained both associations among most Greeks: he was regarded as the tamer or father of horses, who, with a strike of his trident, created springs (the terms for horses and springs are related in the Greek language). His Roman equivalent is Neptune . Homer and Hesiod suggest that Poseidon became lord of
5984-633: Is the bottlenose dolphin , while there are around 60 orcas in captivity . The name is originally from Greek δελφίς ( delphís ), "dolphin", which was related to the Greek δελφύς ( delphus ), "womb". The animal's name can therefore be interpreted as meaning "a 'fish' with a womb". The name was transmitted via the Latin delphinus (the romanization of the later Greek δελφῖνος – delphinos ), which in Medieval Latin became dolfinus and in Old French daulphin , which reintroduced
6120-460: Is the mirror test in which a mirror is introduced to an animal, and the animal is then marked with a temporary dye. If the animal then goes to the mirror in order to view the mark, it has exhibited strong evidence of self-awareness. Some disagree with these findings, arguing that the results of these tests are open to human interpretation and susceptible to the Clever Hans effect. This test
6256-457: Is vague about the shape, thus the assumption it was originally of "trident" form has been challenged. Latin fuscina also means "trident". The Sanskrit name for the trident, trishula , is a compound of tri त्रि for "three" and śūla शूल for "thorn", calling the trident's three prongs "thorns" rather than "teeth" or dant in Sanskrit, making the word "Tridant" for trident. The trident
6392-513: The Arcadian myth Poseidon Hippios (horse) is mating with the mare-Demeter. At Thelpousa Demeter- Erinys gives birth to the horse Arion and to an unnamable daughter who has the shape of a mare. In some neighbour cults the daughter was called Despoina (mistress), which is another name of Persephone . The theriomorphic form of gods seems to be local in Arcadia in an old religion associated with xoana . According to some theories Poseidon
6528-592: The Dorians took the name from the older population. The form Ποτειδάϝων ( Poteidawōn ) appears in Corinth. The origins of the name "Poseidon" are unclear and the possible etymologies are contradictive among the scholars. One theory breaks it down into an element meaning "husband" or "lord" (Greek πόσις ( posis ), from PIE *pótis ) and another element meaning "earth" ( δᾶ ( da ), Doric for γῆ ( gē )), producing something like lord or spouse of Da , i.e. of
6664-520: The Hindu god uses a trishula as his principal weapon. The trident is also said to represent three gunas mentioned in Indian Vedic philosophy namely sāttvika, rājasika, and tāmasika . The goddess Kali is sometimes portrayed with a trident as well. A weapon of South-East Asian (particularly Thai ) depiction of Hanuman , a character of Ramayana . In religious Taoism , the trident represents
6800-599: The Mycenean period, the ancestral male gods of the Myceneans were probably not represented in human forms, and the information given by the tablets found at Pylos and Knossos is insufficient. Poseidon was the chief deity at Pylos and Thebes . He is identified with Anax and he carried the title "Master of the Underworld". Anax had probably a cult associated with the protection of the palace. In Acrocorinth he
6936-584: The Orphic Hymn . Persephone is sometimes depicted with her head emerging from the ground. During the Mycenean period Poseidon was worshipped in several regions in Greece. At Pylos and some other cities he was a god of the underworld (Lord of the Underworld) and his cult was related to the protection of the palace. He carried the title anax , king or protector. His consort potnia , lady or mistress,
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#17327732406097072-419: The anus . Females have one genital slit, housing the vagina and the anus, with a mammary slit on either side. The integumentary system is an organ system mostly consisting of skin, hair, nails and endocrine glands. The skin of dolphins is specialized to satisfy specific requirements, including protection, fat storage, heat regulation, and sensory perception. The skin of a dolphin is made up of two parts:
7208-485: The artiodactyl order (even-toed ungulates). They are related to the Indohyus , an extinct chevrotain -like ungulate, from which they split approximately 48 million years ago. The primitive cetaceans, or archaeocetes , first took to the sea approximately 49 million years ago and became fully aquatic by 5–10 million years later. Archaeoceti is a parvorder comprising ancient whales. These ancient whales are
7344-488: The maenads , Poseidon also caused certain forms of mental disturbance. A Hippocratic text of ca 400 BC, On the Sacred Disease says that he was blamed for certain types of epilepsy. Poseidon is still worshipped today in modern Hellenic religion, among other Greek gods. The worship of Greek gods has been recognized by the Greek government since 2017. Poseidon had a variety of roles, duties and attributes. He
7480-432: The mahi-mahi fish is called the dolphinfish. In common usage, the term whale is used only for the larger cetacean species, while the smaller ones with a beaked or longer nose are considered dolphins. The name dolphin is used casually as a synonym for bottlenose dolphin , the most common and familiar species of dolphin. There are six species of dolphins commonly thought of as whales, collectively known as blackfish :
7616-570: The names po-se-da-wo-ne and Po-se-da-o ("Poseidon") occurs with greater frequency than does di-u-ja ("Zeus"). A feminine variant, po-se-de-ia , is also found, indicating a lost consort goddess, in effect the precursor of Amphitrite . Poseidon was the chief god at Pylos . The title wa-na-ka appears in the inscriptions. Poseidon was identified with wanax from the Homeric era to classical Greece. ( anax ). The title didn't mean only king, but also protector. Wanax had chthonic aspects, and he
7752-506: The orca , the melon-headed whale , the pygmy killer whale , the false killer whale , and the two species of pilot whales , all of which are classified under the family Delphinidae and qualify as dolphins. Although the terms dolphin and porpoise are sometimes used interchangeably, porpoise usually refers to the Phocoenidae family, which have a shorter beak and spade-shaped teeth and differ in their behavior. A group of dolphins
7888-418: The ph into the word dolphin . The term mereswine ("sea pig") is also used. The term dolphin can be used to refer to most species in the family Delphinidae (oceanic dolphins) and the river dolphin families of Iniidae (South American river dolphins), Pontoporiidae ( La Plata dolphin ), Lipotidae (Yangtze river dolphin) and Platanistidae (Ganges river dolphin and Indus river dolphin). Meanwhile,
8024-469: The polis . Many fests of Poseidon included athletic competitions and horseracing. In Corinth his cult was related to the Isthmian games . In Arcadia his cult was related to the games "Hippocrateia" and at Sparta he had a temple near an Hippodrome . In Onchestos of Boeotia horseracing was a part of the athletic games in honour of the god. Poseidon was considered a symbol of unity. The Panionia
8160-607: The 1.7-metre-long (5 ft 7 in) and 50-kilogram (110-pound) Maui's dolphin to the 9.5 m (31 ft) and 10-tonne (11-short-ton) orca . Various species of dolphins exhibit sexual dimorphism where the males are larger than females. They have streamlined bodies and two limbs that are modified into flippers. Though not quite as flexible as seals , they are faster; some dolphins can briefly travel at speeds of 29 kilometres per hour (18 mph) or leap about 9 metres (30 ft). Dolphins use their conical teeth to capture fast-moving prey . They have well-developed hearing which
8296-573: The 9.5 m (31 ft 2 in) and 10 t (11 short tons) orca . Overall, they tend to be dwarfed by other Cetartiodactyls . Several species have female-biased sexual dimorphism, with the females being larger than the males. Dolphins have conical teeth, as opposed to porpoises ' spade-shaped teeth. These conical teeth are used to catch swift prey such as fish, squid or large mammals, such as seals. Breathing involves expelling stale air from their blowhole , in an upward blast, which may be visible in cold air, followed by inhaling fresh air into
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#17327732406098432-524: The Greek hero Odysseus provokes Poseidon's fury by blinding his son, the Cyclops Polyphemus , resulting in Poseidon punishing him with storms, causing the complete loss of his ship and companions, and delaying his return by ten years. Poseidon is also the subject of a Homeric hymn . In Plato 's Timaeus and Critias , the legendary island of Atlantis was Poseidon's domain. Poseidon
8568-613: The Taoist Trinity, the Three Pure Ones . In Taoist rituals, a trident bell is used to invite the presence of deities and summon spirits, as the trident signifies the highest authority of Heaven. A fork Jewish priests (Kohanim) used to take their portions of offerings. In heraldry within the UK , the trident is often held by the figure identified as either a Neptune or a triton, or a merman . The trident held up by an arm
8704-401: The animal with an idea on an object's shape and size, though how exactly this works is not yet understood. The small hairs on the rostrum of the boto (river dolphins of South America) are believed to function as a tactile sense , possibly to compensate for the boto's poor eyesight. A dolphin eye is relatively small for its size, yet they do retain a good degree of eyesight. As well as this,
8840-474: The authorization to go out and settle, while Poseidon watched over the colonists on their way, and provided the lustral water for the foundation-sacrifice. At one time Delphi belonged to him in common with Ge, but Apollo gave him the psychopompeion Kalaureia as a compensation for it. Xenophon 's Anabasis describes a group of Spartan soldiers in 400–399 BC singing to Poseidon a paean —a kind of hymn normally sung for Apollo. Like Dionysus , who inflamed
8976-562: The beginning. The Greeks occupied Thessaly , Boeotia and Peloponnese during the Bronze Age. In all these regions Poseidon was the god of the horses. The origin of his cult was Peloponnese and he was the inland god of the Achaeans , the god of the "horses" and the "earthquakes". When the Achaeans migrated to Ionia there was a transition to regarding Poseidon as the god of the sea because the Ionians were sea-dependent. With no doubt he
9112-674: The behaviors shown are evidence of self-awareness, as they are very different from normal responses to another individual. Whereas apes can merely touch the mark on themselves with their fingers, cetaceans show less definitive behavior of self-awareness; they can only twist and turn themselves to observe the mark. In 1995, Marten and Psarakos used television to test dolphin self-awareness. They showed dolphins real-time video of themselves, video of another dolphin and recorded footage. They concluded that their evidence suggested self-awareness rather than social behavior. While this particular study has not been repeated since then, dolphins have since passed
9248-527: The body and to form specialized locomotor structures such as the dorsal fin, propulsive fluke blades and caudal keels. There are many nerve endings that resemble small, onion-like configurations that are present in the superficial portion of the dermis. Mechanoreceptors are found within the interlocks of the epidermis with dermal ridges. There are nerve fibers in the dermis that extend to the epidermis. These nerve endings are known to be highly proprioceptive , which explains sensory perception. Proprioception, which
9384-485: The closest living relatives of cetaceans are the hippopotamuses ; these share a semi-aquatic ancestor that branched off from other artiodactyls some 60 million years ago. Around 40 million years ago, a common ancestor between the two branched off into cetacea and anthracotheres ; anthracotheres became extinct at the end of the Pleistocene two-and-a-half million years ago, eventually leaving only one surviving lineage:
9520-833: The coast", in Samos ., Alidoupos , ( Ἀλίδουπος ) "sea resounding". The master of the sea who can cause devastating storms is also the protector of seafarers and he was given the epithet sōtēr ( Σωτήρ ), "savior". Dolphin A dolphin is an aquatic mammal in the clade Odontoceti ( toothed whale ). Dolphins belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins ), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (the brackish dolphins), and possibly extinct Lipotidae (baiji or Chinese river dolphin). There are 40 extant species named as dolphins. Dolphins range in size from
9656-456: The divine child. Potnia was the Mycenean goddess of nature and she was the consort of Poseidon at Pylos. She is mentioned together with bucrania in decorated jugs and he was associated with the animals and especially to the bull. In Athens Poseidon was an inland god who created the salt-sea Erecthēιs ( Ερεχθηίς ), "sea of Erechtheus". In Acropolis his cult was superimposed on the cult of
9792-402: The dorsal fin, flukes, and flippers. These thermal windows are a good way for dolphins to get rid of excess heat if overheating. Additionally in order to conserve heat, dolphins use countercurrent heat exchange. Blood flows in different directions in order for heat to transfer across membranes. Heat from warm blood leaving the heart will heat up the cold blood that is headed back to the heart from
9928-724: The earth ( Oceanus ) is the origin of all rivers and springs. They are children of Oceanus and Tethys . Farnell suggested that Poseidon was originally the god of the Minyans who occupied Thessaly and Boeotia . There is a similarity between the Boeotian and Arcadian myths and especially between the myths which represent the god of the waters Poseidon as a horse. The mythical horse Arion appears in both regions. The offspring of Poseidon winged horse Pegasus creates famous springs near Helikon and at Troizen . Some springs of Poseidon have similar names in Boeotia and Peloponnese . It
10064-523: The earth; this would link him with Demeter , "Earth-mother". Burkert finds that "the second element δᾶ- remains hopelessly ambiguous" and finds a "husband of Earth" reading "quite impossible to prove". According to Beekes in Etymological Dictionary of Greek , "there is no indication that δᾶ means 'earth'", although the root da appears in the Linear B inscription E-ne-si-da-o-ne , "earth-shaker". Another, theory interprets
10200-470: The earthquakes. In some cults he was worshipped as the "bringer of safety" or "protector of the house and the foundations". The god was considered the creator of the first horse, and it was believed that he taught men the art of taming horses. He was depicted on horseback, or riding in a chariot drawn by two or four horses. He had a lot of temples in Arcadia , with the surname Hippios (of the horse) and he
10336-413: The epidermal layer. The thickness of a dolphin's epidermis varies, depending on species and age. Blubber is found within the dermis and subcutis layer. The dermis blends gradually with the adipose layer, which is known as fat, because the fat may extend up to the epidermis border and collagen fiber bundles extend throughout the whole subcutaneous blubber which is fat found under the skin. The thickness of
10472-411: The epidermis and the blubber, which consists of two layers including the dermis and subcutis. The dolphin's skin is known to have a smooth rubber texture and is without hair and glands, except mammary glands. At birth, a newborn dolphin has hairs lined up in a single band on both sides of the rostrum, which is their jaw, and usually has a total length of 16–17 cm . The epidermis is characterized by
10608-511: The extremities, meaning that the heart always has warm blood and it decreases the heat lost to the water in those thermal windows. Dolphins have two pectoral flippers, each containing four digits, a boneless dorsal fin for stability, and a fluke for propulsion. Although dolphins do not possess external hind limbs, some possess discrete rudimentary appendages, which may contain feet and digits. Orcas are fast swimmers in comparison to seals which typically cruise at 9–28 km/h (5.6–17.4 mph);
10744-484: The eyelids and outer corneal layer that act as protection for the cornea. The olfactory lobes and nerve are absent in dolphins, suggesting that they have no sense of smell. Dolphins are not thought to have a good sense of taste, as their taste buds are atrophied or missing altogether. Some have preferences for different kinds of fish, indicating some ability to taste. Dolphins are known to teach, learn, cooperate, scheme, and grieve. The neocortex of many species
10880-511: The eyes of a dolphin are placed on the sides of its head, so their vision consists of two fields, rather than a binocular view like humans have. When dolphins surface, their lens and cornea correct the nearsightedness that results from the water's refraction of light. Their eyes contain both rod and cone cells, meaning they can see in both dim and bright light, but they have far more rod cells than they do cone cells. They lack short wavelength sensitive visual pigments in their cone cells, indicating
11016-447: The females by their side by means of both physical aggression and intimidation, to increase their chances of reproductive success. Generally, dolphins sleep with only one brain hemisphere in slow-wave sleep at a time, thus maintaining enough consciousness to breathe and to watch for possible predators and other threats. Sleep stages earlier in sleep can occur simultaneously in both hemispheres. In captivity, dolphins seemingly enter
11152-561: The festival of all Ionians near Mycale were celebrated in honour of Poseidon Helikonios and was the place of meeting of the Ionian League . He was the patron god of the Amphictiony of Kalaureia . At Onchestos of Boeotia he was worshipped as Poseidon Helikonios . His sanctuary became the place of meeting of the second Boeotian league . At Helike of Achaea there was the famous temple of Poseidon Helikonios , which
11288-457: The folk belief. In the Greek legends Arethusa and the river Alpheus traversed underground under the sea and reappeared at Ortygia . In any case, the early importance of Poseidon can still be glimpsed in Homer 's Odyssey , where Poseidon rather than Zeus is the major mover of events. In Homer, Poseidon is the master of the sea. He is described as a majestic, scary, and avenging monarch of
11424-414: The form of clicks and whistles. Dolphins are sometimes hunted in places such as Japan, in an activity known as dolphin drive hunting . Besides drive hunting, they also face threats from bycatch , habitat loss, and marine pollution . Dolphins have been depicted in various cultures worldwide. Dolphins are sometimes kept in captivity and trained to perform tricks. The most common dolphin species in captivity
11560-539: The genital area of other individuals using the rostrum or flippers, and homosexual contact . Various species of dolphin have been known to engage in sexual behavior including copulation with dolphins of other species, and occasionally exhibit sexual behavior towards other animals , including humans. Sexual encounters may be violent, with male bottlenose dolphins sometimes showing aggressive behavior towards both females and other males. Male dolphins may also work together and attempt to herd females in estrus , keeping
11696-505: The god of the sea, was also known as the "Earth Shaker", believed to cause earthquakes ; some commentators have extrapolated that the god would have used the trident to cause them, possibly by striking the earth. In the Renaissance artist Gian Bernini 's sculpture Neptune and Triton (1622–23), Neptune is posed holding a trident turned downwards, and is thought to reenact a scene from Aeneid or Ovid 's Metamorphoses where he
11832-428: The ground with his hoof and created the famous spring Hippocrene near Helikon. Praxidicai were female deities of judicial punishment worshipped in the region of Haliartos in the historical times. Ttheir origin is probably the same with Erinys . Their images depicted only the heads of the goddesses probably a representation of the earth goddess emerging from the ground. Praxidice is and epithet of Persephone in
11968-443: The hearing set-up that channeled vibrations from the jaw to the earbone which occurred with Ambulocetus 49 million years ago, a streamlining of the body and the growth of flukes on the tail which occurred around 43 million years ago with Protocetus , the migration of the nasal openings toward the top of the cranium and the modification of the forelimbs into flippers which occurred with Basilosaurus 35 million years ago, and
12104-432: The heart, brain and other organs. Their hemoglobin and myoglobin store oxygen in body tissues, and they have twice as much myoglobin as hemoglobin. [REDACTED] A dolphin ear has specific adaptations to the marine environment. In humans, the middle ear works as an impedance equalizer between the outside air's low impedance and the cochlear fluid's high impedance. In dolphins, and other marine mammals, there
12240-563: The intelligence of an animal. Since most of the brain is used for maintaining bodily functions, greater ratios of brain to body mass may increase the amount of brain mass available for more complex cognitive tasks. Allometric analysis indicates that mammalian brain size scales at approximately the ⅔ or ¾ exponent of the body mass. Comparison of a particular animal's brain size with the expected brain size based on such allometric analysis provides an encephalization quotient that can be used as another indication of animal intelligence. Orcas have
12376-460: The introduction of the horse and war-chariot from Anatolia to Greece around 1600 BC. In the Boeotian myth Poseidon is the water-god and Erinys is a goddess of the underworld. She is probably the personification of a revenging earth spirit and it seems that she had a similar function with the goddess Dike (Justice). At the spring "Tilpousa" she gives birth to the fabulous horse Arion . In
12512-519: The islands of the Aegean and in the cities of Asia Minor . At Lesbos and Epidauros the month was called Poseidios . During this month Poseidon was worshipped as the "master of the sea" in a bright cult. Poseidon was a major civic god of several cities: in Athens , he was second only to Athena in importance, while in Corinth and many cities of Ionia and Magna Graecia he was the chief god of
12648-403: The lack of keratin and by a prominent intertwine of epidermal rete pegs and long dermal papillae. The epidermal rete pegs are the epithelial extensions that project into the underlying connective tissue in both skin and mucous membranes. The dermal papillae are finger-like projections that help adhesion between the epidermal and dermal layers, as well as providing a larger surface area to nourish
12784-436: The late 19th century the trident shape was applied to certain botanical shapes; for example, certain orchid flora were described as having trident-tipped lips in early botanical works. Furthermore, in current botanical literature, certain bracts are stated to have a trident-shape (e.g. Douglas-fir ). Poseidon Poseidon ( / p ə ˈ s aɪ d ən , p ɒ -, p oʊ -/ ; ‹See Tfd› Greek : Ποσειδῶν )
12920-613: The lips are oil-filled organs called dorsal bursae that have been suggested to be homologous to the sperm whale's spermaceti organ. High-frequency clicks pass through the sound-modifying organs of the extramandibular fat body, intramandibular fat body and the melon . This melon consists of fat, and the skull of any such creature containing a melon will have a large depression. This allows dolphins to use echolocation for orientation. Though most dolphins do not have hair, they do have hair follicles that may perform some sensory function. Beyond locating an object, echolocation also provides
13056-533: The liquid element and the underworld. In Greek folklore the horse is associated with the underworld and it was believed that it had the ability to create springs. In the European folklore the water-spirit appears with the shape of a horse or a bull. In Greece the river god Acheloos is represented as a bull or a man-bull. Burkert suggests that the Hellenic cult of Poseidon as a horse god may be connected to
13192-409: The local ancestral figure Erechtheus . In Athens and Asine he was worshipped in the house of the king during the Mycenean period. The bull was the favourite animal for sacrifices and it seems that horses were rarely used during the burial of the Mycenean leaders. In the Arcadian myths, Poseidon is related to Demeter and Despoina (another name of Kore- Persephone ) and he was worshipped with
13328-408: The lungs. Dolphins have rather small, unidentifiable spouts. All dolphins have a thick layer of blubber , thickness varying on climate. This blubber can help with buoyancy, protection to some extent as predators would have a hard time getting through a thick layer of fat, and energy for leaner times; the primary usage for blubber is insulation from the harsh climate. Calves, generally, are born with
13464-411: The main food, but the false killer whale and the orca also feed on other marine mammals. Orcas on occasion also hunt whale species larger than themselves. Different breeds of dolphins vary widely in the number of teeth they possess. The orca usually carries 40–56 teeth while the popular bottlenose dolphin has anywhere from 72 to 116 conical teeth and its smaller cousin the common dolphin has 188–268 teeth:
13600-437: The mirror test. Some researchers have argued that evidence for self-awareness has not been convincingly demonstrated. Dolphins are highly social animals, often living in pods of up to a dozen individuals, though pod sizes and structures vary greatly between species and locations. In places with a high abundance of food, pods can merge temporarily, forming a superpod ; such groupings may exceed 1,000 dolphins. Membership in pods
13736-581: The name of a Greek colony at the Syrian coast. In Ionia his cult was introduced by Achaean colonists from Greece in the 11th century BC. Traditionally the colonists came from Pylos where Poseidon was the principal god of the city. The god had a famous temple near the mountain Mycale . The month Poseidaon is the month of the winter-storms. The name of the month was used in Ionic territories, in Athens , in
13872-410: The number of teeth that an individual carries varies widely between within a single species. Hybrids between common and bottlenose bred in captivity had a number of teeth intermediate between that of their parents. One common feeding method is herding, where a pod squeezes a school of fish into a small volume, known as a bait ball . Individual members then take turns plowing through the ball, feeding on
14008-416: The oldest Greek myths appear in Boeotia . In ancient cults Poseidon was worshipped as a horse. The mythical horse Arion was a sire of Poseidon-horse with Erinys and the winged horse Pegasus a sire of Poseidon foaled by Medousa. At Onchestos he had an old famous festival which included horseracing. However it is possible that Poseidon like Zeus was a common god of all Greeks from the beginning. It
14144-690: The orca, in comparison, can travel at speeds up to 55.5 km/h (34.5 mph). A study of a Pacific white-sided dolphin in an aquarium found fast burst acceleration, with the individual being able with 5 strokes (2.5 fluke beats) to go from 5.0 m s-1 to 8.7 m s-1 in 0.7 seconds. The fusing of the neck vertebrae, while increasing stability when swimming at high speeds, decreases flexibility, which means most dolphins are unable to turn their heads. River dolphins have non-fused neck vertebrae and can turn their heads up to 90°. Dolphins swim by moving their fluke and rear body vertically, while their flippers are mainly used for steering. Some species porpoise out of
14280-425: The predecessors of modern whales, stretching back to their first ancestor that spent their lives near (rarely in) the water. Likewise, the archaeocetes can be anywhere from near fully terrestrial, to semi-aquatic to fully aquatic, but what defines an archaeocete is the presence of visible legs or asymmetrical teeth. Their features became adapted for living in the marine environment . Major anatomical changes include
14416-411: The rocks of Tempe with his trident. In Greek folklore the horse can also create springs . As god of the sea Poseidon was also god of fishing and especially of sea-fishing. Tuna was offered to him by the fishermen during the festal meal for the protection of the nets . Tuna and later dolphin was his attribute. He was worshipped in many islands and cities by the coast. At Corcyra a roaring bull near
14552-425: The same diet as dolphins and are therefore not competitors for food supplies. The Cornwall Wildlife Trust records about one such death a year. Possible explanations include misdirected infanticide, misdirected sexual aggression or play behaviour . Dolphin copulation happens belly to belly; though many species engage in lengthy foreplay , the actual act is usually brief, but may be repeated several times within
14688-614: The sea deities (the marine thiasos ) the Tritons ( mermen ) may be seen bearing tridents. Likewise, the Old Man of the Sea ( halios geron ) and the god Nereus are seen holding tridents. Tritons, other mermen, and the Nereides can also carry rudders, oars, fish, or dolphins. Oceanus normally should not carry a trident, allowing him to be clearly distinguished from Poseidon. However, there
14824-636: The sea when, following the overthrow of his father Cronus , the world was divided by lot among Cronus' three sons; Zeus was given the sky, Hades the underworld, and Poseidon the sea, with the Earth and Mount Olympus belonging to all three. In Homer 's Iliad , Poseidon supports the Greeks against the Trojans during the Trojan War ; in the Odyssey , during the sea-voyage from Troy back home to Ithaca ,
14960-435: The sea-shore quaranteed a good fishing. The devastating storm of Poseidon is related to fishermen and they poured drink offerings to Poseidon - savior into the sea. The god of inland waters is very close to vegetation and Poseidon was worshipped in many cities as god of vegetation. Haloa in Athens was a fest of vegetation. The Protrygaia , a wine-fest seem to belong to Dionysus and Poseidon. In several cities Poseidon
15096-402: The sea. In the primitive Boeotian and Arcadian myths Poseidon, the god of the underworld, appears as a horse and he is mating with the earth goddess. The earth goddess is called Erinys or Demeter and she gives birth to the fabulous horse Arion and the unnamed daughter Despoina , which is another name of Persephone . The horse represents the divine spirit ( numen ) and is related to
15232-599: The sea. The worship of Poseidon was extended all over Greece and southern Italy , but he was specially honoured in Peloponnese which is called "the residence of Poseidon" and in the Ionic cities. The significance of his cult is indicated by the names of cities like Poteidaia in the Chalkidiki peninsula and Poseidonia ( Paestum ), a Greek colony in Italy. Poseidion is a frequent Greek placename along coastlines and
15368-482: The sea. Boars and rams were also used and in Argolis horses were thrown into a well as a sacrifice to him. In his benign aspect, Poseidon was seen as creating new islands and offering calm seas. When offended or ignored, he supposedly struck the ground with his trident and caused chaotic springs, earthquakes , drownings and shipwrecks . Sailors prayed to Poseidon for a safe voyage, sometimes drowning horses as
15504-441: The second element as related to the (presumed) Doric word *δᾶϝον dâwon , "water", Proto-Indo-European *dah₂- "water" or *dʰenh₂- "to run, flow", Sanskrit दन् dā́-nu- "fluid, drop, dew" and names of rivers such as Danube (< *Danuvius ) or Don . This would make * Posei-dawōn into the master of waters. Plato in his dialogue Cratylus gives two traditional etymologies: either the sea restrained Poseidon when walking as
15640-586: The second largest brain mass of any animal on earth, next to the sperm whale . The brain to body mass ratio in some is second only to humans. Self-awareness is seen, by some, to be a sign of highly developed, abstract thinking. Self-awareness, though not well-defined scientifically, is believed to be the precursor to more advanced processes like meta-cognitive reasoning (thinking about thinking) that are typical of humans. Research in this field has suggested that cetaceans, among others, possess self-awareness. The most widely used test for self-awareness in animals
15776-538: The shrinking and eventual disappearance of the hind limbs which took place with the first odontocetes and mysticetes 34 million years ago. The modern dolphin skeleton has two small, rod-shaped pelvic bones thought to be vestigial hind limbs. In October 2006, an unusual bottlenose dolphin was captured in Japan; it had small fins on each side of its genital slit, which scientists believe to be an unusually pronounced development of these vestigial hind limbs. Today,
15912-430: The stunned fish. Corralling is a method where dolphins chase fish into shallow water to catch them more easily. Orcas and bottlenose dolphins have also been known to drive their prey onto a beach to feed on it, a behaviour known as beach or strand feeding. Some species also whack fish with their flukes, stunning them and sometimes knocking them out of the water. Reports of cooperative human-dolphin fishing date back to
16048-410: The subcutaneous blubber or fat depends on the dolphin's health, development, location, reproductive state, and how well it feeds. This fat is thickest on the dolphin's back and belly. Most of the dolphin's body fat is accumulated in a thick layer of blubber. Blubber differs from fat in that, in addition to fat cells, it contains a fibrous network of connective tissue. The blubber functions to streamline
16184-416: The surname Hippios in many Arcadian cities. At Thelpusa and Phigalia there were sister worships which are very important for the study of primitive religions. In these cults Demeter and Poseidon were chthonic divinities of the underworld. Near Thelpusa the river Ladon descended to the sunctuary of Demeter Erinys (Demeter-Fury). During her wandering in search of her daughter Demeter changed into
16320-634: The swimmers or charging the sharks to make them go away. Dolphins communicate using a variety of clicks, whistle-like sounds and other vocalizations. Dolphins also use nonverbal communication by means of touch and posturing . Dolphins also display culture, something long believed to be unique to humans (and possibly other primate species). In May 2005, a discovery in Australia found Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops aduncus ) teaching their young to use tools. They cover their snouts with sponges to protect them while foraging. This knowledge
16456-428: The temperature drops, the blubber constricts the blood vessels to reduce blood flow in the dolphin. This allows the dolphin to spend less energy heating its own body, ultimately keeping the animal warmer without burning energy as quick. In order to release heat, the heat must pass the blubber layer. There are thermal windows that lack blubber, are not fully insulated and are somewhat thin and highly vascularized, including
16592-403: The two species of hippo. Dolphins have torpedo-shaped bodies with generally non-flexible necks, limbs modified into flippers, a tail fin, and bulbous heads. Dolphin skulls have small eye orbits, long snouts, and eyes placed on the sides of its head; they lack external ear flaps. Dolphins range in size from the 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in) long and 50 kg (110 lb) Maui's dolphin to
16728-435: The water, which allows them to travel faster. Their skeletal anatomy allows them to be fast swimmers. All species have a dorsal fin to prevent themselves from involuntarily spinning in the water. Some dolphins are adapted for diving to great depths. In addition to their streamlined bodies, some can selectively slow their heart rate to conserve oxygen. Some can also re-route blood from tissue tolerant of water pressure to
16864-577: The world or have been reported in the wild, such as a bottlenose- Atlantic spotted hybrid. The best known hybrid is the wholphin , a false killer whale-bottlenose dolphin hybrid. The wolphin is a fertile hybrid. Two wolphins currently live at the Sea Life Park in Hawaii; the first was born in 1985 from a male false killer whale and a female bottlenose. Wolphins have also been observed in the wild. Dolphins are descendants of land-dwelling mammals of
17000-454: Was a Pelasgian god or a god of the Minyans . Traditionally the Minyans are considered Pelasgians and they lived in Thessaly and Boeotia . In Thessaly ( Pelasgiotis ) there was a close relation to the horses. Poseidon created the first horse Skyphios hitting a rock with his trident and managed in the same way to drain the valley of Tempe. The Thessalians were famous charioteers. Some of
17136-491: Was a title which accompanied female goddesses. The goddess of nature survived in the Eleusinian cult , where the following words were uttered: "Mighty Potnia bore a strong son". In the heavily sea-dependent Mycenaean culture, there is not sufficient evidence that Poseidon was connected with the sea; it is unclear whether "Posedeia" was a sea-goddess. The Greeks invaders came from far inland and they were not familiarized with
17272-401: Was also transformed into a horse to seduce Demeter . Being the god of waters, Poseidon is related to the primeval water which encircles the earth ( Oceanus ), who is the father of all rivers and springs. He can create springs with the strike of his trident. He was worshipped as "ruler of the springs" and "leader of the nymphs" In Thessaly it was believed that he drained the area cutting
17408-498: Was closely associated with Poseidon, who had the title "Lord of the Underworld". The chthonic nature of Poseidon is also indicated by his title E-ne-si-da-o-ne (Earth-shaker) in Mycenean Knossos and Pylos . Through Homer the epithet was also used in classical Greece. (ennosigaios, ennosidas). Po-tini-ja ( potnia : lady or mistress) was the chief goddess at Pylos and she was closely associated with Poseidon. She
17544-573: Was not allowed to be told to the unitiated (At Lycosura her daughter was called Despoina ). Demeter angry with Poseidon put on a black dressing and shut herself in the cavern. When the fruits of the earth were perished, Zeus sent the Moirai to Demeter who listened to them and led aside her wrath. In this cult we have traces of a very old cult of Demeter and Poseidon as deities of the underworld. In another Arcadian myth when Rhea had given birth to Poseidon, she told Cronus that she had given birth to
17680-406: Was originally the god of the waters. The Greeks believed that the cause of the earthquakes was the erosion of the rocks by the waters, by the rivers in Peloponnese which they saw to disappear into the earth and then to burst out again. The god of the waters became the "earth-shaker". This is what the natural philosophers Thales Anaximenes and Aristotle believed and could not be different from
17816-598: Was specially honoured. Anax is identified in Mycenaean Greek ( Linear B ) as wa-na-ka , a title of Poseidon as king of the underworld. Aeschylus uses also the epithet anax and Pindar the epithet Eurymedon ( Εὐρυμέδων ) "widely ruling". Some of the epithets (or adjectives) applied to him like Enosigaios ( Ἐνοσίγαιος ), Enosichthon ( Ἐνοσίχθων ) ( Homer ) and Ennosidas ( Ἐννοσίδας ) ( Pindar ), mean "earth shaker". These epithets indicate his chthonic nature, and have an older evidence of use, as it
17952-459: Was the Mycenean goddess of nature and Poseidon— Wanax is one from the gods who may be considered her "male paredros". The earth shaker received offerings in the cave of the goddess of childbirth Eileithyia at Amnisos in Crete . Poseidon is allied with Potnia and the divine child. Wa-na-ssa ( anassa :queen or lady) appears in the inscriptions usually in plural. (Wa-na-ssoi). The dual number
18088-414: Was the Mycenean goddess of nature. Her main aspects were birth and vegetation. Poseidon had the title "Enesidaon" (earth-shaker) and in Crete he was associated with the goddess of childbirth Eleithyia . Through Homer the Mycenean titles were also used in classical Greece with similar meaning. He was identified with anax and he carried the epithets "Ennosigaios" and "Ennosidas" (earth-shaker). Potnia
18224-463: Was the place of meeting of the Achaean League . The "master of the sea" creates clouds and storms, but he is also the protector of the sailors. He has the ability to calm the sea for a good voyage and save those who are in danger. He was worshipped with the surname "savior" as the protector of the seafarers and the fishermen. He is the "earthshaker", however he is also the protector against
18360-456: Was worshipped as Poseidon Anax during the Mycenean age. In the city there was the famous spring Peirene which in a myth is related to the winged horse Pegasus . In Attica there was a cult of Anax heroes who was connected to Poseidon. A cult title of Poseidon was "earth-shaker" and in Knossos he was worshipped together with the goddess Eleithyia who was related to the annual birth of
18496-475: Was worshipped in relation to the genealogy and the phratry . At Tinos he was worshipped as a healer-god, probably a forerunner of the famous Evangelistria . The bull is related to Poseidon mainly in Ionia. The sacrifice of a bull offered to Poseidon is mentioned by Homer in an Ionic festival. ( Panionia ) The sacrifices offered to Poseidon consisted of black and white bulls which were killed or thrown into
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