Overwhelmed with feelings of anger and sadness Earthshaker Posiden just witnessed the blinding of his one-eyed son, Polyphemus. Posiden was on a warpath and anything in his way would not be receiving any mercy, like a bull who was just branded by a hot glowing branding iron, on a rampage killing anything in its path with nothing on its mind but murderous thoughts. Posiden had to collect his anger and sadness and put it to use in a way where Godlike Odysyus would feel his wrath. Along with tormenting poor Odysseus until he had reached his homecoming, he also wanted to take his guardian angel away from him so that any trouble that Odysseus would be faced with he would have to do without Grey eyed Athene's grace and wits.
Poseidon in his palace of the sea set off for Olympus to seek the daughter of Zeus, Athene, to change her mind of aiding and caring for the Godlike Odysseus, for Posiden believed he did not deserve such a privilege of having a divine as a protector. Riding off to Mount Olympus on his Golden chariot embroidered with all creatures of the sea, pulled by Kraken like creatures. On his way over to see Pallas Athene, he spots Odysseus out of the most outer corner of his divine eyes and stops to a conjuror big enough wave to rock his well-made boat and to let in the salty waters of the earth covered the sea in and spoil some of his good food and clothes. The Dark-haired one continues on his voyage to the sky of the divine with a smirk like the expression on his face from spoiling some of Odysseus's good food.
He reached the gateway of great Olympus and fastened his Golden chariot embroidered with all creatures of the sea so that the Kraken like creatures would not wander off to graze the divine land and disturb the Nymphes divine duties.
He first goes off to Cloud gatherer Zeus and asks: "Great Zeus where has your daughter Athene gone off to? Has she gone to grant graces to great warriors? Or has she gone to her palace of war to rest from a gruesome win in a war in a far off country? Tell me where has she gone, I must have a word with her about Godlike Odysseus and how he had blinded my one-eyed son, Polyphemus' '. Zeus answered: "No she has not gone off to some lowly mortal warrior to grant them grace, no she has not gone to some faraway land to fight in a war, she has gone off to a ball thrown by eyesore Hephateus, in celebration of his new well-forged sword crafted of gold and silver and ivory, so powerful one lone warrior could win a war of thousands of others and win without a hair on his head hurt. Brother, I believed I did not have to tell you this, but it appears I must, do not come to me with such an insignificant request of asking where one of my kin is, it is mind boring and takes up my precious time away from doing my divine duties. I have helped you now for I know this holds great importance in your heart. Now leave me." Poseidon takes no more time from great Zeus and leaves to go to the ball of the god of blacksmithing.
Dark-haired Poseidon leaves the place of Zeus, now going for his Golden chariot embroidered with all creatures of the sea, before commanding the Kraken like creatures to ride off to the party of Hephateus, he runs his powerful fingers across an embroidering of a great white shark, king of the sharks. Now riding off to the invite-only party Poseidon has his mind filled with the question of why deformed Hephateus did not welcome him to his ball of accomplishment since Posiden always did admire his skill of crafting glorious weapons worthy of the divine. Earthshaker Posiden has now reached the feasting party of the deformed god of blacksmithing Hephaestus. Powerful Posiden steps up to the door entry of Hephateus's great palace, Posiden raises his hand putting it into a ball then pulling back a sturdy pull releasing it onto the door making a great thunder of sound that fills the air. Startling many of Hephaestus maids, one brave and curious enough went to the door to see who could have made such a powerful and demanding knock. She pulls the heavy iron door to reveal that Poseidon, god of the sea, brother of Zeus is at the door with a look on his face that could make even the bravest of warriors' knees buckle under themselves. The maid finds the courage within her to ask: " Great Posiden what is it that brings you to grace the household of great Hephateus?, do you have a welcoming from the Lord of this household? Have you come to see if Hephateus would make you a weapon as great as the one he has just made?" Behind the brave maid, are all the rest of Hephateus's maids in the safety of being behind the great iron door trying to hear great Poseidon's response to the maid. Poseidon answers: " I have come to see kin of Zeus, Athene. For I have a great deal to say to her. Bring me your Lord so that I may speak to him, and convince him to let me into his celebration ball and speak to Athene''. The maid wondering whether to let in Poseidon for Hephaestus does not like Posiden after he had told him to let Ares god of battle spirit to pay for having an affair with his wife and if not he then let himself pay for what Ares has done, Hephateus felt a great hate for Poseidon after this event, that is why he did not welcome Posiden to his celebration. She did not want to offend Poseidon so she precariously lets him into the palace of Hephaestus. The brave maid quietly as a mouse would try to be as quiet as possible when there is a hungry sleeping cat next to them so she tells the maids: " be sure to keep Poseidon here in the entry and only in the entry for the Lord of the house will already be mad that I had let in his enemy" The maid hurley goes into the courtyard where the celebration is taking place. The sounds of the beautiful singers and smell of the good food overwhelm the scenes of the maid at first but she collects herself and remembers that the god who her lord hates is in his palace and looks for Hephaestus. Going all around the courtyard, she finds deformed Hephateus speaking with his wife Aphrodite god of love. The maid asks for the pardon to interrupt his conversation: " Hephaestus forgive me but there is someone I believe you need to speak to at the entry of the palace, it is the god of the sea, Poseidon, he wishes to speak with you." angry Hephateus answers: " Bring me to him now so that I may kick him out of my palace for I did not welcome him here." The maid obeys and quickly brings Hephaestus to Poseidon.
Poseidon, still in the entry of Hephaestus ' palace, tells the maids: " Let me through now so that I may speak with Hephateus and Ahetne and leave you all to go back to your festivities." The warry maids like children playing around scramble to push someone forward to respond to Poseidon. One maid with golden-brown hair pushed forward another maid with eyes that had golden flecks within them. Before she could respond to Posiden who was growing greatly impatient, Hephaestus answers: " There is no need for you to walk about my palace, what is it that is so important that you must enter my household without my welcoming?" Off put Posideden answers: " Have I done something to offend your name? Why are you so cold towards me? I have come here only because I must speak to Athnene about her love towards Odysseus and how she must stop supporting his antics and let him be for himself." Hephaestus answers: " You have me in your mind as a man with no honor. Think back to when my adultering wife had laid with Ares, you had said to me to let him go and to have him pay me for what he has done, and if he did not do so that you would pay. Do I present myself as a man with no respect for himself and his name? Is that why you had told me to put what he had done behind me for it can be paid away. Well, I will not stand for this. Ares and my wife were as buck who had been caught in a hunters trap, waiting for the release of the sweet fingers of Death in the resourceful hunter's trap, but some passerby had come by and cut the buck free from the trap, leaving the poor hunter without food for the winter so; if I seem as though I do not like you then you are right." Poseidon with a great and demanding voice says: " Hephaestus put aside your cold heart, my one-eyed son has just been blinded by ruthless Odysseus, I am in great grief right now, I do not have any time to spare trying to have you let me in and speak with Athene. I wish not to offend you any further, but I must get by" Posiden walks by Hephaestus and his maids, out of patience Posiden has now decided to go in without the welcoming of Hephaestus. Hephaestus knowing that if he tries to stop Posiden from going, he would be as Odysseus and be pestered by Posiden antics. With a feeling of defeat, Hephaestus retreats to his room to think about what had just happened and how it had made him seem as though he was a man to be walked over. The maids try to comfort him saying: " Dear Hephaestus, do not feel as though your honor has been taken away, for no one other that Zeus could have stopped Poseidon, he is very stubborn and has his way with no regard for others"
Poseidon finding his way through to the courtyard, spots Athene straight away from entering, he sees that it is decorated with many flowers and ribbons, there is the amazing weapon they were all in attendance for, with Athene gazing at all its majestic divine beauty. He makes his way over to Athene and says: " I have finally found you, after great inconveniences, I have reached the helpful goddess of Odysseus. I have some news of your prized Odysseus, did you know while my son, a cyclops, was doing his daily chores of heading his sheep, and speaking with the locals, when he had reached his caveley home Odysseus blinded him in his humble sleep, with no remorse whatsoever?". After Poseidon had said his long and exaggerated sentence Athene finally acknowledged that Poseidon was even there. In her mind, she knew why Posiden was there, and she had a plan to test Poseidon and see whether he is worthy enough for her to hear what he has to say to her, so she says playfully: " Oh, hello dear Uncle, when did you arrive? We could have come together in your golden chariot had I known you were invited. Did you say something when you were just behind me? Forgive me but I am quite parched and would like to fill my quench with but the finest milk from the god of cows, Io, for she herself is a heifer, and I would like to taste her delicious milk. Maybe if I were to have some of her milk I would be able to hear what you have to say." Athene with a pleased look on her face smiled at Poseidon in a way a child would when he is begging their mother for some sweets they saw down at the local market. So Posiden knowing that Athne will not listen to his words unless he brings her a jar of milk, he nods his head and answers: " Athene since you are parched I will go and bring you some of Io's milk when I return you can hear what it is that I have to tell you". Athene smiles and goes back to admiring the Majestic sword.
Poseidon leaves the palace and settles into his Golden Chariot, he speaks to the creatures who pull his Chariot: " Take me to the land where cows roam and where the white heifer named Io stays". The monstrous Kraken leaves to a faraway land where the white heifers roam, it's such a faraway land it would take mortal men 15 months of voyaging to reach this land. But with the divine Chariot, it will only take 15 minutes, which for the divine is still too long of a time to wait, but because Poseidon is determined to rid Odysseus of Athene he will endure what seems like an eternity of 15 minutes.
The Golden chariot lands on the lush and bright green grass that the cows of the land graze on. He decides to let the Krakens roam as they please since there are no nymphs they can disturb. In front of him lay tons of white heifers, he is unsure which one is Io until he hears the sweet singing of a goddess. Poseidon recognizes the story she sings of, It is her own story of how she ended up this way: " Great cloud gatherer Zeus god of the gods, and fallen for my beauty and heart. His dear wife Hera was wise and would know if I were there, she would have cut off our love by hurting me, so great Zeus o great Zeus turned me into a beautiful white heifer trying to hide me he did so so well, but now I am here alone, no one to tell how I was once the apple of his lovely eyes'' Poseidon laughs at how horrible the words were that she had said but was amazed by her voice which was like honey. Io, the white heifer, turns to Poseidon in surprise, she is overjoyed now because for the first time in a while she has seen a god. Thinking she finally has someone to speak with she gallops over to Poseidon and says: " Oh my, I am so glad there is another who I may speak with. Did you hear my song? I made the son myself since no one know of my story, I was hoping by singing it someone would hear and then people would know that Zeus had once loved me." Poseidon who did not want to talk instead grabbed Io by the horns and lifted her into the sky, with Io screaming and wiggling trying to get out of his hold. He was about to milk her when he heard a great roar of hooves stampeding towards him. He quickly let go of Io, she falls to the ground on her side and groans in pain: " why o why have you done this?". Poseidon swings his arm across the land that the heifers roamed and wiped out all of the cows, now all of the heifers are too groaning with dear Io. Posiden, now out of patience, quickly grabs Io and heads for his golden chariot. He says to Io: " All I needed was you milk couldn't you have held off your beastly companions? Now I will how to milk you at the ball where ? Athene is so that she may be quenched and hear me speak" Io in a fit answers: " do you not know what a heifer is? You must be a fool then, I have not borne a calf so I cannot give you the milk that you wish".
Posiden now realizing his mistake and feeling quite foolish sets Io softly onto the ground. Poseidon now having no milk to bring back to Athene asks:" Are there any cows who have recently borne? I know I have wiped them all about but surely there is somewhere a cow with milk ready to be taken?". Although Io does not feel like helping Poseidon she does, for she knows that Posiden is the first and maybe even the last visitor she will see for a long long while. She thinks of the cow with the golden-brown coat, and white patches who has just given birth to a beautiful healthy bull. She answers:" Yes, follow me, she lays in the forest with her newly born son. But listen to me close, when you take the milk, leave some for the calf. Do not be greedy." Poseidon agrees and Io leads Poseidon through the forest into a cozy part of the oaks. There lay the golden brown cow with her calf. Poseidon remembering what Io had said, milks the cow but leaves some for the bull to feed on. Poseidon, grateful to Io thanks her:" Io leaves Poseidon with a smile and leaves the forest. Poseidon following behind her so that he does not get lost in the forest.
Poseidon now on his way back to Hephaestus' palace on his Golden chariot embroidered with all the creatures of the sea. Although the trip too long for him he is pleased he can finally bring the milk to Athene. Poseidon fastens his Creatures and heads into the courtyard. This time he finds Ahne in the corner by herself sitting at a table mindlessly playing with a rose. Posiden approaches Athene and presents her the milk:" Athene I am back with the milk your heart has its eyes set on, I have traveled a great distance to bring this to you. I hope now you are able to talk with me." Athena looking up from her rose, still remembering her plan to test Poseidon answers:" Oh? That is too bad, one of the maids had brought me some wine instead. I am very grateful you went through all this trouble though. Now that I think about it I am rather famished. I know of this bakery in Patras, they have the best bread a mortal could make. Maybe if I had some of the delicious bread I could think properly enough to speak with you. Poseidon sets down the jar of milk he had fetched firmly on the table. He swallows a great temptation to yell at Athene for how she had just made him go and fetch her milk that she would not even drink. He answers her:" Well you should better tell the maids to put this milk in a cold basement for you soon, otherwise it may turn to cheese. I will go and get this bread, and when I return you will speak with me." Athene feeling that Poseidon is now getting tired of her antics thinks if she should stop him from going, in fear he might not want to talk to her anymore. She knows it would be the right thing to do and before Posiden turns around she says: "Wait. I see now that I am not hungered but rather bored, so please have a seat and tell me what it is that fills your mind so, that you would go too far lengths to bring me some milk?" Poseidon sits and answers:" Your dear Odyyseous has blinded my son after his long day of sheep herding. When Polyphemus had come home to rest, as he slept, Odysseus the monster blinded him. With no remorse, he tricked him again by tying himself under his sheep. Don't your eyes see? And your mind think? Odysseus does not deserve your aid and graces. He deserves to suffer until his reach of homecoming. Will you betray your own race to help a mortal man?" Athene now angered by what had just come out of Poseiden's mouth answers:" What has just escaped your teeth barriers? Do you not know what your ruthless son had done? He ate many of Odysseus's companions. He had kept him there when they had wanted to leave. It is your own son's fault if he was blinded, for he had provoked Odysseus to do so." Poseidon with his brows furrowed answers:" Polyphemus only ate the companions because Odysseus had gotten greedy, and wanted cheese and gifts from the Cyclopes. Could he not have kept sailing and had his homecoming?" Athene ready to go leaves Poseidon with this to think about:" Yes Odysseus had gotten greedy, yes he could have gone sailing, but he did not. Polyphemus should have punished Odysseus rather than his companions who had families at home waiting for their return. It may have been Odysseus' fault for getting himself in that situation but your son could have found some compassion in his savage heart and let them go, just as you when you saw Ares and aphrodite laying together. I will not stop giving my help and wisdom to Odysseus because like you, I see that he needs to be forgiven.". Athen gets up from the table and leaves the courtyard with Poseidon and his thoughts.