God · Character in Homer’s Odyssey

Poseidon Neptune

Sea-god nursing a grudge

Aggrieved and implacable; nurses one insult for ten years of sea.

Father of the blinded Polyphemus, and the reason a short voyage takes ten years. He breaks Odysseus' raft apart within sight of safety, and turns the Phaeacian ship that finally carries him home to stone in its own harbour.

Bonds

• Poseidon persecutes Odysseus — still angered over his blinded son
• Poseidon father of Polyphemus — hears the Cyclops' curse
• Poseidon persecutes Phaeacians — turns their ship to stone
• Ino Leucothea defies Poseidon — undoes a little of his storm

Appears in

• Book I Visit of Athena to Telemachus
• Book III Interview of Telemachus with Nestor
• Book V Departure of Odysseus from Calypso
• Book VII Reception of Odysseus by Alcinoüs
• Book VIII Festivals in Honor of Odysseus
• Book IX The Ciconians, Lotus-Eaters, and Cyclops
• Book XI Visit of Odysseus to the Land of the Dead
• Book XIII Arrival of Odysseus at Ithaca

Scenes

1. Zeus recalls Aegisthus — Book I. Zeus blames mortals via Aegisthus
2. Athena pleads for Odysseus — Book I. Athena begs Zeus, plans to send Hermes
3. Landing at Pylos — Book III. Telemachus, Mentor arrive at Poseidon’s rite
4. Prayer to Poseidon — Book III. Peisistratus seats them, Athena prays
5. Fates of Ajax and Agamemnon — Book IV. Ajax drowns, Aegisthus kills Agamemnon
6. Poseidon Spots Odysseus — Book V. Poseidon spots Odysseus, rages at gods
7. Poseidon Wrecks the Raft — Book V. Poseidon snaps mast, Odysseus clings
8. Ino Gives a Magic Veil — Book V. Cormorant Ino gives Odysseus her veil
9. The Raft Breaks Apart — Book V. Poseidon shatters raft, Odysseus swims
10. Poseidon’s Parting Curse — Book V. Poseidon curses Odysseus, drives to Aegae
11. Athena Meets Odysseus — Book VII. Disguised, Athena shrouds Odysseus in mist
12. Unseen Through the City — Book VII. Misted Odysseus passes harbor unnoticed
13. Gods Gather to Laugh — Book VIII. Gods gather, laugh at trapped lovers
14. Apollo, Hermes, Poseidon — Book VIII. Apollo teases Hermes, Poseidon pleads
15. Devoured — Book IX. Odysseus lies about ship, four devoured
16. Noman fools the neighbors — Book IX. Noman trick sends neighbors away
17. The fleet regained — Book IX. Polyphemus’s curse, ship dodges boulder
18. Tiresias’s Prophecy — Book XI. Tiresias warns of Poseidon, cattle, death
19. Tyro’s Line — Book XI. Odysseus meets Tyro, who bore Neleus
20. Agamemnon’s Fate — Book XI. Aegisthus slays Agamemnon; wife conspires
21. Landing at Ithaca — Book XIII. Sailors leave sleeping Odysseus with treasure
22. Poseidon’s Complaint — Book XIII. Poseidon complains, turns ship to stone
23. Phaeacians’ Prophecy Fulfilled — Book XIII. Alcinoüs recalls prophecy, orders sacrifice
24. Tiresias’s Final Task — Book XXIII. Odysseus foretells inland journey, peace

Poseidon is named in 38 of the poem’s scenes; these are the twenty-four that carry the most of the name.

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