Neptune (mythology)

• Citations for source (s) of myth

The Roman god Neptune (Latin neptunus; Etruscan netun (u ) s ) corresponds to the Greek water god Poseidon and was originally believed to be the god of flowing waters, leaping sources or even the weather. From the beginning of the 3rd century BC, he was equated with the Greek Poseidon, which he also became the god of the sea. He became the second most powerful god of Olympus. His parents are according to mythology, Saturn and Ops, his brothers Pluto and Jupiter, with the latter, he also shared the dominion over the upper world. Neptune was also married in the Roman myth of Amphitrite. Whether Triton can also be seen in Roman mythology as his son, is also controversial. It is believed that he had no offspring. Even his relationship with Jupiter and Pluto is not in front of the equation is with the Greek Poseidon.

It is represented mostly with his symbol, the trident ( Ψ ), sea creatures or dolphins. In most cases, he has a beard and long hair. He often puts his foot on a Prora.

Among his honors were very early hailed the Neptunalia in the Roman Empire on July 23. Not much is known about the festival itself, you just know that tabernacles were built, for what purpose, however, is not exactly busy ( protection from sun, stalls, asking for rain).

He lived in the sea depth with a large retinue of lower sea gods and ruled over the spawned of Pontus and Gaia sea gods Nereus, Phorkys and keto. The ancient sources (especially Pliny, Livy and Dio Cassius ) deliver at least two places of worship dedicated to him in the Campus Martius in Rome. A temple, which was consecrated in the area of the Circus Flaminius BC before 206 and the so-called Basilica Neptuni that was in 25 BC by Marcus Agrippa in honor of Augustus, in close proximity to the Pantheon, built. Also in the province and Italian cities outside Rome, he was venerated especially in lakes, rivers or near the sea.

It remains difficult to differentiate the Greek god Poseidon from the Roman God Neptune, an equality of both should not be done yet.

Reception after the Antique

Since the Renaissance, his image is a popular motif in splendor fountain.

In the Italian form of Nettuno - - In the mostly Italian operas of the Baroque period, dealing with mythological subjects often occurs the name of Neptune in place of the Greek Poseidon, although the libretto has a Greek background.

In Georg Philipp Telemann's Suite "Hamburger Ebb ' and flow " from 1723 is a set ( Loure ) bears the programmatic title " The enamored Neptune ".

In the visual arts of the Baroque Neptune embodied in representations of the four elements, water.

In the Christian seafaring he comes in person at the crossing ceremony aboard. Among sailors it is - next to the hobgoblin - a frequently mentioned topic.

When sailor traditions, it is partly still common today that at one drink a glass of alcoholic beverage for Neptune is poured into the sea.