Trident-Wielding Deities: Exploring the Greek Gods that Command the Seas

As long as there has been human civilization, there have been deities worshipped in some form or the other, governing over the various aspects of our lives. In polytheistic cultures, gods governed many different realms, from the more well-known Greek gods such as Zeus ruler of Mount Olympus, to the lesser known Hestia, or Goddess of the Hearth. If you do not know what a hearth is, it was far more relevant when fireplaces were a common part of the home, not so much anymore. Mortal humans have always sought to make sacrifices to relevant celestial authorities in an attempt to win favour for whatever undertaking they wished to be a success, none more so than trying to win favour with the sea.

The sheer importance of the ocean and water in general is evidenced by the number of gods, demi gods and mythical beings associated with traversing the treacherous reaches governed by Poseidon, Thetis, Triton or Thalassa, take your pick, there is enough to go around. Across 44 different cultures, there are 270 different water Gods and Goddesses listed with 52 belonging to Greek mythology alone. Greek mythology still holds a special place in present day culture, so these will be my focus, which does not imply that the remaining 218 deities are any less significant, I will make my relevant sacrifices to each of them later on.

In any conversation about Greek ocean deities the logical place to start is with the mack daddy of them all, the Olympian himself, Poseidon. As with most other Greek gods, Poseidon was a multitasker, so while his main portfolio was that of the ocean, he was also god of earthquakes, drought and….horses? The Greeks certainly kept themselves busy. Poseidon’s unmistakable companion was his trident, think oversized salad fork, which could manifest either a well of seawater, drought or a horse (again this is odd to me), depending on Poseidon’s mood and whatever rock or patch of Earth drew his ire. It is alleged the first horse was produced by a strike of Poseidon’s trident in an attempt to win a contest against the goddess Athena. When he was refused the prize, another strike produced drought. Seems both powerful and temperamental, not the type of guy to be wielding such a powerful fork.?

The um, amorous nature of Greek gods is well-documented. Given their need to copulate with pretty much anything that tickled their fancy, a large number of demi god offspring arose from the loins of many a Greek god. Poseidon is no different, and I do not just mean Percy Jackson, but there are some more famous offspring borne of Poseidon’s ocean foam. One such offspring being Triton, better known as Ariel’s father from The Little Mermaid, the fruit (or maybe seaweed?) of Poseidon and his main squeeze Amphitrite, Poseidon’s actual wife. Triton was known as a fish-tailed sea god or in less complicated language, a merman. Triton, much like his father, was also known for his oversized salad fork, which apart from commanding ocean creatures could also break the spells of an octopus like sorceress over his youngest daughter returning her voice and causing her to lose those hideous human legs. Over to you Prince Eric, I digress.

While I opted to begin with Poseidon based solely on his Hollywood appeal and popularity, I should make mention of the Titans Tethys and Oceanus who technically outrank Poseidon in the Greek hierarchy. Tethys, the titan Goddess, presided over the freshwater that encircles the Earth (The ocean was referred to as a river in the early Greek mythology days) and was mother to rivers, water nymphs and the clouds. Her husband, Oceanus, was also god of the water encircling the Earth, including freshwater, wells, springs and rain clouds.

While the likes of Poseidon and Amphitrite are anthropomorphic representations of the sea, a more elemental representation comes in the form of the primordial goddess Thalassa. To this day at least the etymology of Thalassa is still relevant to us. A Thalassophile describes someone who is in love with the sea, think surfers, marine biologists and Thalassophobia is used to describe fear of the ocean. Thalassa is depicted in Greco-Roman mosaics as a matronly woman, half-submerged in the sea, with crab-claw horns, seaweed for clothes, and a ship's oar in her hand. Goddess of the ocean indeed!

It would be remiss of me to end this piece without mentioning the sexiest of Greek deities, the nymphs and sirens. Nymphs, ranking below the goddesses, are personifications of nature usually depicted as beautiful young women. They are divided into various broad subgroups, such as the Meliae (ash tree nymphs), the Dryad (oak tree nymphs), the Naiads (freshwater nymphs), the Nereids (sea nymphs), and the Oreads (mountain nymphs). Nymphs have taken a special place in present culture given the etymology of the word nymphomaniac. The sexual connotations associated with these nature loving creatures is inescapable. It also doesn’t help that much of their appearances in Greek mythology centers around them bathing in a river before copulation with either a mortal, semi mortal or immortal being. It is difficult to keep track of these amorous associations but the Greeks were definitely fond of copulating.

Turning my focus to the Nereids for a bit, they were goddesses of the sea's rich bounty and protectors of sailors and fishermen, coming to the aid of those in distress. Individually they represented various facets of the sea from the salty brine, to the sea foam, sand, rocks, waves and currents, as well as the various skills possessed by seamen. It is not a stretch to suggest that Thalassophiles may have fallen prey to the seductive powers of the Nereids at some point in their lives and unerringly answer the call of their sweet voices, ever drawing them to the ocean’s power for time immemorial. The song I refer to of course is that of the Ocean’s Sirens, or ocean nymphs who can easily draw any man to his ruin in dangerous passages across the sea with their melodies. The call of the siren rarely goes unanswered.

While this is just a sampling, a charcuterie board if you will, of the many ocean deities, the ocean’s gravitational pull remains unerring even today. Maybe the idea of some of these creatures, while mythological may not be so farfetched after all. To borrow some words from author Kate Chopin from her novel The Awakening, “ The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude; to lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation. The voice of the sea speaks to the soul. The touch of the sea is sensuous, enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace.” Maybe the siren’s song will remain echoing throughout all eternity drawing unwitting mortals to its servitude forever.