Discover all the secrets of Neptune. One of the most famous gods of Roman mythology and an important actor in many events.
Who is Neptune?
Neptune, god of the sea, turbulence and earthquakes. When the jurisdictions of the ancient Roman world were divided between the three brothers Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto, it was decided that the moody and violent Neptune would preside over the sea. His nature is representative of the turbulence of his domain, the ocean waters and earthquakes.
Like his Greek counterpart, Poseidon, he was lustful and enjoyed the sexual company of goddesses, sea nymphs and mortal women. He even craved the attentions of his own sister Ceres, who hid from him by turning into a mare and the sea god transformed into a horse to rape her.
This resulted in the birth of a daughter as well as a black mare. Many times he was also worshipped as a god of horses and the patron of horse racing is known as Neptune Equester. He was a member of the Dei Consentes, the 12 main gods and goddesses of the Roman pantheon.
Origin
After Gigantism, the Great War with the giants, Neptune’s brother, Jupiter, had overthrown his father, Saturn, as ruler, and the three brother gods, Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto, were charged with ruling the worlds. Neptune was reputed to have a violent temper and lustful nature. Ocean storms and earthquakes were a reflection of his behavior.
Considering his difficult beginnings, it is not surprising that Neptune had a temperamental personality. Saturn ate him whole along with his siblings, to prevent the possibility of any of the offspring taking over his ruler status, although this plot was ultimately ineffective. Saturn was killed by Jupiter and the sons attained ruler status, at which point Neptune took over the sea.
Marriage of Neptune
The story of the courtship of Neptune and Salacia (counterpart of the Greek Amphitrite) began on the island called Naxos in the Aegean Sea. Salacia was dancing with her sisters, and the moment Neptune saw her, he decided he wanted her as his wife. Unfortunately, for the god of love, the goddess was not interested in his proposal or in giving up her life as a virgin of the sea and ran to the Atlas Mountains to hide.
Being the persistent type, Neptune summoned Delphinus, the king of dolphins, to find the goddess and persuade her to marry him. The intelligent and gentle natural dolphin embarked on the mission. After weeks of searching, he finally found her. The dolphin was such a charming creature that Salacia was attracted to him and listened to his persuasion.
Delphinus explained that her steadfastness would balance Neptune’s volatile nature and that if she married him there would be harmony in the sea and joy for all. As a reward for bringing his bride, the god placed an image of Delphinus in the sky. The constellation is located in the northern sky, near the celestial equator.
Neptune and Salacia had three children together, Benthesicyme, the nymph of the waves, Rhodes, the namesake of the island, and Triton, the infamous man and legendary father and leader of 3000 mermaids, and 3000 triton (man). Once married, the sea god returned to his ways and had numerous affairs with other goddesses, nymphs and mortals.
Medusa
Medusa was originally an exceptionally beautiful young woman with beautiful, flowing blonde hair. She was desired by many, but before she had a chance to choose a suitor for marriage, the lecherous Neptune found her worshipping in the temple of Minerva (goddess of wisdom) and raped her. As punishment for violating her sacred temple grounds, Minerva turned Medusa’s golden hair into snakes and, from that day on, anyone who looked directly at her would turn to stone.
Symbols
The sea god is most commonly depicted as a bearded man holding a trident and riding in a seashell chariot pulled by seahorses. The cross at the lower end of the trident symbol represents the root of things, the essence of nature. The three points can be interpreted to have various meanings including birth, life and death, or mind, body and spirit.
The trident also represented his ability to control the waters. It was originally created by the Cyclops before the war between the Olympians and the Titans. Also representing the god of the sea is the horse, as it was believed that he created the first one. The horses pulling his chariot of seashells are called Hippocampi. Another closely related symbol is the dolphin, as it reflects Neptune’s ability to move in and out of the water. He is often seen surrounded by dolphins, fish, whales and other sea creatures. The bull remains a symbol of Neptune and a nod to his counterpart, Poseidon of Greece.
This is reminiscent of the myth of the Cretan bull, father of the magical creature the Minotaur. When Poseidon sent a pure white bull to the King of Crete as a sign, it was destined to be sacrificed later in honor of the sea god. However, the bull was such a fine specimen that the king could not bear the thought of killing it, and exchanged it for an inferior earthly bull to sacrifice. Furious at this outrage, the goddess of love was called upon by Poseidon to bewitch the queen, who fell in love with the white bull and gave birth to the Minotaur’s son.
Historical influence
Neptune was honored with two temples in Rome. The first was located near the Circus Flaminius, the hippodrome. The second temple, the Basilica of Neptune, near the site of the Roman Pantheon, was built by the statesman Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa to celebrate his naval victories.
In Homer’s Odyssey, Neptune delayed Odysseus’ return from the Trojan War by wrecking his ship. Neptunalia was a festival held in honor of Neptune on July 23 each year. In the midst of the dry and hot season, the Romans sought the protection of their irrigation waters. Bulls were sacrificed to Neptune and small huts were built to provide shade for people to picnic under.
Modern Influence
The characteristics and role of the Roman sea god are mostly congruent with his Greek counterpart and predecessor Poseidon. However, in Western culture, he is the mythological deity most commonly associated with all things pertaining to the waters.
The god of the seas is the subject of numerous works of art and statues in Italy and around the world. Many replicate the fountains of Neptune in Florence, located in front of the Palazzo Vecchio, (town hall) or the fountains of Rome or Bologna. Neptune was the name given to the eighth planet by the sun, discovered in 1846. Shortly after the planet’s discovery, its largest moon was also observed and named after its son, Triton.
