Mythology Help needed?

Question

I Need to know how Athena and Poseidon originated in mythology, what natural and supernatural traits they possess, and what monuments, statues, paintings, songs, architecture, etc. were inspired by them. (200 word minimum)

10 points for the best and closest answer

Answer 1

they were both children of gaya the mother titan/ mother of all other gods. there are statues of them both all over greece, mainly athens

idk about songs

Answer 2

Athena - also known as Minerva (Roman Mythology) and as Athena Parthenos (meaning "Athena the virgin" and also from which the Parthenon is named); is the daughter of Zeus and Metis.  Zeus swallowed his lover, Metis, to prevent her from carrying offspring more powerful than himself, but she was already pregnant and when she gave birth to Athena, the daughter of Zeus sprang forth from his head fully armed with weapons.

She is the goddess of wisdom, weaving/crafts, and metallurgy.  

The city of Athens is also named in her honor.  She competed with Poseidon for this honor and won as the city was yet unnamed and did not have a patron god/goddess.  

A natural trait would be beauty and wisdom which she possessed.  It was her beauty or rather the beauty pageant between herself, Hera, and Aphrodite that resulted in the Trojan War.  Each of the three goddesses offered Paris a gift in return for his decision over who was the most beautiful goddess.  Athena offered him wisdom and victorious conquests, but she lost to Aphrodite who offered him the love of the most beautiful woman on earth, Helen of Sparta.  There was a rivalry an jealousy all throughout the Greek myths concerning these 3 goddesses.

Athena was also jealous of Medusa for her beauty.  Poseidon slept with the Gorgon in the temple of Athena and as punishment transformed the Gorgon into a hideous monster.  

Tiresias, a human, stumbled upon Athena bathing and was stricken with blindness for this.  Afterwords, she repented from this act and instead gave him the gift of prophecy.  

Supernatural traits would be her ability to shape-shift and instantly appear before the greek heroes.  She could hurl lightning bolts with which power she shared only with Zeus.

Phidias made a gold and ivory statue of Athena but was destroyed.  In Vienna, a replica of this statue was made.  In Nashville, TN, there is a replica of the Parthenon as well as a statue of Athena inside the Parthenon.

Poseidon - also known as Neptune (Roman Mythology).  He is the son of Cronus and Rhea (although some traditions hold that his mother is Gaia).  Additionally, Rhea and Gaia (pronounced "guy-ah") are sometimes confused as being the same person because both are considered titans of the earth.  He is notably the brother of Zeus and Hades.  Tradition holds that like his brother, Zeus, he was saved from being swallowed by his father, Cronus, and sent to live with a shepherd, Telchines of Rhodes.  His wife and queen is Amphitrite.  His symbols are the trident and the dolphin.  

He is the god of the sea, of horses, and of earthquakes.  Worshippers of Poseidon could be found in Corinth as well as in Athens.  The Greeks would pray to him for safe passage.  

Poseidon had many children some of which were heroes or villains:

Theseus, Orion, Antaeus (the giant that battled Hercules), Charybdis (villain of the Odyssey), Polyphemus (the cyclops that battled Odysseus), Neleus (father of Nestor or the Trojan War), Triton as well as creatures like Pegasus (from his love affair with Medusa).  

In the Trojan War, Poseidon favors the Greeks and helps them on many occassions.  The reason for this being that Poseidon and Apollo, having offended Zeus, were sent to serve King Laomedon of Troy (Priam's father). He had them build huge walls around the city and promised to reward them well, a promise he then refused to fulfill. In vengeance, before the Trojan War, Poseidon sent a sea monster to attack Troy (it was later killed by Perseus).

In the Odyssey, Odysseus incurs Poseidon's wrath by blinding Polyphemus, his son, and for arrogantly claiming that he does not need Poseidon's help to return home.  Since the only way for Odysseus to get home was by way of the sea, Poseidon became a thorn in the hero's side.  Poseidon also feeds the hero and his men to Charybdis, which Odysseus is the lone survivor.  

He would curse those that betrayed him like King Minos who requested that Poseidon provide him a bull from the sea which the god did, but Minos liked the bull so much that he refused to sacrifice it.  The result was Poseidon cursing Minos and with the help of Aphrodite, caused Minos' wife to fall in love with the bull, its offspring being the Minotaur.

He also had numerous feuds with Athena.  One of those feuds being over who would be the chief deity of Athens.  Poseidon struck the Acropolis with his trident causing a spring of salt water to emerge, yet Athena caused an olive tree to spring forth.  Not one to take losing very well, he flooded Athens for 3 days.  

He also fell in love with Demeter and to impress her he created the first horse.  The goddess rejected his advances.  

He had the power to shape-shift and also could bestow this power on others.  His temper would probably be his most natural or human trait.  He was quick to show his temper if provoked and was a sore loser most of the time.  There are a couple of Homeric hymns written about him as well as various statues located throughout the world a notable one being in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Answer 3

Posideon is Zeus's brother. He rules over the sea and is seen as a bearded man with a trident. Posideon not only rules over the sea, but the creatures that dwell within as well.  

Athena is the daughter of Zeus and is the goddess of hunters and warriors, also the virgin goddess of Athens. THe Panthenon was built for her.

Answer 4

They are the two main players in Plato's telling of Solon's account of Atlantis. This is in Plato's Timaeus and Critias.

They also were involved in a competition for Athens. Athena won.