~Mythology~

Poseidon (Neptune) (god of the sea)

& Taras (son of Poseidon)

~ Taras ~

The name Taras was adopted from Greek mythology. In mythology Taras was the offspring of the sea god Poseidon and the nymph Satyra. According to legend, Taras was sailing off the coast of southern Italy when he was caught in a storm and his ship sank. Taras was saved from drowning by his father Poseidon, who sent a dolphin to his rescue. He climbed on the back of the dolphin and rode it to shore, founding the city of Taras where he landed. According to legend, when Phalanthus chased off the inhabitants of the area many of them were descendants of Taras himself.

~ Poseidon (Neptune) ~

~ Neptune ~

Neptune was the name that ancient Romans gave to the Greek god of the sea and earthquakes, Poseidon. He was the brother of Jupiter (Zeus) and of Pluto (Hades). After the defeat of their father Saturn (Cronos), the three brothers divided the world in three parts to be ruled by one of the three brothers. Jupiter took the sky, Neptune the sea and Pluto the underworld. Neptune had the reputation for having a violent temper. Tempests and earthquakes were a reflection of his furious rage. He was depicted as a bearded men holding a trident and seated in a seashell drawn by sea-horses. One day Neptune saw the water nymph Amphitrite dancing in the island of Naxos and fell in love with her. He promptly asked her to marry him but unfortunately she refused. However, not discouraged by Amphitrite refusal, Neptune sent one of his servant, a dolphin to look for her. The dolphin found her, and pleaded Neptune's cause so persuasively that she changed her mind. As a reward for finding and returning Amphitrite to him, Neptune immortalized the dolphin by placing it in the heavens as the constellation Dolphinus. Neptune and Amphitrite had several children. Among them was Triton whose name was given in 1846 by William Lassell to the principal moon of the planet Neptune.