Three-pronged spear wielded by Poseidon as his primary weapon.
Overview
The Trident of Poseidon, also called Poseidon’s trident, is a divine weapon in Greek mythology. It is a three-pronged spear that serves as the main weapon and emblem of the god Poseidon. In stories and in art, it is the key attribute that identifies Poseidon and shows his rule over the sea and his power to shake the earth.
In Greek myth and iconography, the trident is treated as a standard and widely recognized attribute of Poseidon. It appears in myths about Poseidon himself, in tales about the division of the world among Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, and in stories that involve the sea, storms, earthquakes, and floods.
Physical Description
The Trident of Poseidon is usually described and shown as a long spear with three prongs at the tip. It looks like a large fishing spear or fork and is always three-tined. Ancient texts do not give exact measurements, but in art it is generally as tall as, or taller than, an adult man when Poseidon holds it.
The weapon has a long shaft like a spear or staff, with three pointed prongs at the top. These prongs are usually straight or slightly curved outward, and sometimes have barbed or flared tips. In Greek art, the trident is Poseidon’s regular attribute in vase painting, sculpture, and reliefs. He is often shown holding it raised in a striking or commanding pose, or resting it on the ground beside him when he is seated.
Variations in art include prongs that are straight and spear-like, or slightly curved or hooked, with some later works showing more decorative or flared ends. Well-known examples include Classical and Hellenistic statues of Poseidon, and of Neptune in Roman art, where the god holds the trident. Many Attic red-figure vases also show Poseidon wielding the trident in battle scenes or in connection with the sea.
Origin and Creation
In later mythographic tradition, the Trident of Poseidon is said to have been made by the Cyclopes, divine smiths who forge special weapons for the three Olympian brothers. They create the thunderbolt for Zeus, the trident for Poseidon, and the helm of invisibility for Hades, to arm them for the Titanomachy.
These stories say the trident was made at the request of Zeus and the Olympian gods as part of their preparation for the war against the Titans. The place of its creation is not clearly named, but it is implied to be the forge of the Cyclopes in the divine realm. The methods and materials are not described in surviving sources, beyond the general idea that the Cyclopes crafted it with exceptional skill.
Earlier poetic sources, such as the Homeric and Hesiodic poems, already show Poseidon with the trident as his established weapon and emblem, but they do not tell how it was made. These early texts, together with later mythographic accounts of the Titanomachy, are the main sources for the trident’s origin and early appearance in myth.
Role in Myths
The Trident of Poseidon has an important role in many Greek myths, especially those about the sea, storms, and earthquakes. In stories of the Titanomachy, Poseidon is armed with the trident as his special weapon in the fight against the Titans.
In the Homeric epics and related traditions, Poseidon uses the trident to shake the earth and to stir up or calm the sea. He does this most often when he is angry at mortals, such as Odysseus. The trident is also key in the Athenian foundation myth. In that story, Poseidon strikes the rock of the Acropolis with the trident and creates a saltwater spring or sea-water pool as his gift in the contest for the patronage of Athens.
More generally, the trident appears in stories about sea-storms and shipwrecks, where Poseidon brandishes it to raise or quiet the waves. Its main roles in myth are as Poseidon’s weapon in combat, as the tool he uses to control the sea and its storms, as the means by which he causes earthquakes by striking or shaking the earth, and, in some local tales, as an instrument that brings forth water when he strikes rocks or the ground.
The trident is closely linked to Poseidon himself, to Athenians and their early kings in the context of the contest for Athens, and to sailors and seafarers whose lives depend on storms thought to come from Poseidon’s anger. Its use can lead to earthquakes, shaking ground, shipwrecks, and violent sea-storms, as well as the sudden appearance of water sources in certain places.
Throughout the mythic tradition, the trident stays in Poseidon’s hands as his fixed attribute and weapon. There are no stories in which it is lost, destroyed, or passed on to another owner.
Materials and Craftsmanship
Ancient sources do not clearly state what material the Trident of Poseidon is made from. It is generally understood to be formed from a divine metal or some other indestructible substance suitable for a weapon made by gods.
Later mythographic accounts credit its craftsmanship to the Cyclopes, famous as divine smiths whose work is superior to human metalworking. No technical details of how they forged it are given. The trident is treated as a unique piece of divine technology, with qualities far beyond those of mortal weapons.
Among its extraordinary features are its unbreakable nature and its power, in Poseidon’s hands, to affect both the sea and the solid earth on a vast scale. In this way, it is often compared to other creations of the Cyclopes, such as Zeus’s thunderbolt and Hades’ helm of invisibility, which also show unmatched divine craftsmanship.
Powers and Properties
The Trident of Poseidon has great powers that appear when Poseidon wields it. Its main powers are control over the sea, allowing him to raise and calm waves and storms, and the ability to cause earthquakes and shake the land.
It also serves as a strong spear or weapon in battle. In some myths, Poseidon can strike rock or earth with it to open fissures or bring forth water. The trident does not act on its own; its powers work through Poseidon’s will and actions.
The sources do not describe any weaknesses or built-in limits. Its effects are understood to be limited only by Poseidon’s place within the larger order ruled by Zeus and fate. When used in anger, the trident brings destructive storms, shipwrecks, and earthquakes upon mortals. When used kindly, it can calm the sea and give safe passage to ships.
More generally, it stands for Poseidon’s protective role over sailors and seafaring communities when he is in a favorable mood. The trident belongs only to Poseidon, and there is no tradition in which mortals or other gods properly wield it in his place.
Bearers and Ownership
The original and lasting owner of the Trident of Poseidon is the god Poseidon. In later mythographic tradition, the Cyclopes forge the weapon and then give it to Poseidon. From that point on, it stays with him as both his emblem and his weapon.
No other notable bearers or wielders are mentioned besides Poseidon. There are no guardians or keepers tied to the artifact. Myths do not tell of any transfers of ownership, nor do they describe its loss, theft, or destruction.
In the mythic tradition overall, the trident’s current and final status is that it remains with Poseidon, with no story explaining its disappearance or end.
Associated Deities or Figures
The Trident of Poseidon is mainly and directly linked to the god Poseidon, who is its patron deity, owner, and main wielder. In later stories about its forging, the Cyclopes appear as the divine craftsmen who create the weapon, highlighting its divine origin and exceptional quality.
In visual art, Poseidon is the usual figure shown with the trident, and its presence almost always marks his identity. Scenes that include the trident often also show sea creatures and horses around Poseidon. These companions point to his rule over both the sea and horses and strengthen the connection between the weapon and his wider group of mythic beings.
Symbolism
Symbolically, the Trident of Poseidon represents rule over the sea, the power to shake the earth, and a broader sense of divine authority and warlike strength. In political and social stories, it marks Poseidon’s claims in territorial and city-foundation myths, especially his claim over Athens in his contest with Athena. It also stands for maritime power and the changing fortunes of seafaring communities under his protection or anger.
In religious and cosmic terms, the trident expresses Poseidon’s role as god of the sea and earthquakes within the threefold division of the world among Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. It acts as a visual shorthand for his presence and power in cult and in art.
Its symbolism has both positive and negative sides. It is tied to the helpful protection of sailors and the granting of safe passage, and also to harsh punishment through storms and earthquakes. This reflects the unpredictable and double nature of the sea itself.
In art, the three-pronged spear is the main identifying attribute of Poseidon, and a figure holding such a weapon is usually understood to be the sea god. In comparison, the trident stands beside Zeus’s thunderbolt as a matching symbol of elemental divine power, with each weapon marking its owner’s control over a basic part of nature.