This was one of the founding myths of ancient Athens and a popular story, also known as 'the name-giving of Athens'. As the contest's winner,
Poseidon is part of the big three ,the ruler of the sea, and probably the second most powerful God (After Zeus). So he would beat Athena in a fight but it would be a tough fight.
Athena defeated Ares several times. During the Trojan War, she attacked him with a boulder. Athena also helped Heracles (Hercules in Latin) defeat Ares through a non-fatal wound.
ATHENE (Athena) The goddess of warcraft was, according to some, the daughter of Poseidon and Tritonis (contrary to the usual account in which she springs fully-grown from the head of Zeus).
It was also said that Poseidon in his anger over his defeat sent one of his sons, Halirrhothius, to cut down Athena's tree gift.
In his dispute with Athena for dominion over Athens, the two gods had a contest as to which one could give the Athenians the best gift. Poseidon shoved his trident into the Acropolis and produced a flowing stream or a horse. Undismayed, Athena gave the Athenians an olive tree. And Poseidon challenged Athena to combat.
Answer (1 of 8): The real answer is because Poseiden raped Medusa in Athena's temple. . Athena started telling a story. She was raped by Poseidon, god of sea, that was seen by Athena. Not only did she represent some of the most important aspects of ancient Greek culture, but according to the myths of .
Kojiro Defeated Poseidon by Calculating His Moves.
Hephaestus, the God of Fire, fell in love with Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, and wanted her to have his child. Athena was the eternal Virgin so that was not possible.
On another occasion, Poseidon seduced the gorgeous maiden, Medusa, in one of Athena's temples. Naturally, the virgin goddess was enraged that her temple was so defiled. Athena retaliated by transforming Medusa into a hideous monster with snakes for hair who would turn anyone who looked at her into stone.
Enemies: Athena's most famous enemy was Medusa, a gorgon with snakes for hair who could turn people to stone with her gaze.
As goddess of wisdom and war, and protector of Athens and heroes, Athena has little to fear. In mythology, she is immensely powerful and immortal, but in The Odyssey the story of her contest with Poseidon reveals her only fear. This is the fear of being defeated.
TEIRESIAS (Tiresias) A seer of Thebes in Boiotia (central Greece) who accidentally came across the goddess Athena bathing in a mountain stream. As punishment for seeing her naked she took away his sight, but in recompense also bestowed him with gifts, since his crime was not a deliberate one.
Poseidon's power was second to only Zeus.. Poseidon did not like Zeus being regarded as the supreme god. He felt that he should be equally as powerful, if not more so, than Zeus.
Athena won the contest and became the patron goddess of Athens. From that time forward, Poseidon and Athena were rivals. This plays out in the story of the Odyssey where Poseidon tries to thwart Odysseus while Athena tries to help him on his journey.
She birthed Athena inside of Zeus and made her a helmet, shield, and spear. As Athena grew inside of Zeus's head, he got a really bad headache. Eventually he couldn't stand it anymore and he had the god Hephaestus crack open his head with an ax. Athena jumped out of Zeus's head.
In fact, Athena was jealous of Medusa's beauty and lustrous hair. Poseidon ravaged her and took what she held dearly, her purity. Athena, outraged by this incident, cursed Medusa and turned her wonderful hair into venomous snakes, her beautiful face turned so ugly that any man who gazed upon would turn to stone.
Strengths: Rational, intelligent, a powerful defender in war but also a potent peacemaker. Weaknesses: Reason rules her; she is not usually emotional or compassionate but she does have her favorites, such as the beleaguered hero Odysseus. Birthplace: From the forehead of her father Zeus.
Athena and Poseidon entered into a contest to be the patron of Athens. Poseidon produces a spring of water but it was salty. Athena bested Poseidon by producing an olive tree on the Acropolis. Poseidon also raped Medusa—a mortal who had the reputation of being beautiful—in Athena's temple, desecrating it.
Since Poseidon is one of the most powerful gods, he is afraid of very little. Most of the gods bow to his authority, especially because he is renowned for his short temper and his tendency to hold grudges. However, he defers to Zeus, since Zeus is one of the few gods...
As Halirrhothios, son of Poseidon and a nymphe named Eurtye, was trying to rape Alkippe, Ares caught him at it and slew him.
Poseidon was a god, and Athena was a goddess. She was not powerful enough to punish Poseidon. He is a elder god, which makes him second only to Zeus.
According to the Roman poet Ovid's version of the myth, Medusa, as a mortal had taken an oath of chastity, however Poseidon, lusting after her, forced himself upon her and raped her inside the temple of Athena.
The snake-haired Medusa does not become widespread until the first century B.C. The Roman author Ovid describes the mortal Medusa as a beautiful maiden seduced by Poseidon in a temple of Athena. Such a sacrilege attracted the goddess' wrath, and she punished Medusa by turning her hair to snakes.