Atrident (/ˈtraɪdənt/) is a three-prongedspear. It is used forspear fishing and historically as apolearm. As compared to an ordinary spear, the three tines increase the chance that a fish will be struck and decrease the chance that a fish will be able to dislodge itself if struck badly. On the other hand, they are not so many as to overly reduce the spear'sconcentration of force for piercing.
Illustration of a trident user from theWubei Zhi, late 16th to early 17th century
The word "trident" comes from theLatin wordtridens ortridentis:tri meaning "three" anddentes meaning "teeth", referring specifically to the three prongs, or "teeth", of the weapon.[1]
TheGreek equivalent isτρίαινα (tríaina), fromProto-Greektrianja, meaning "threefold". The Greek term does not imply three of anything specific, and is vague about the shape, thus the assumption it was originally of "trident" form has been challenged.[2]
The Sanskrit name for the trident,trishula, is a compound oftri त्रि for "three" andśūla शूल for "thorn", calling the trident's three prongs "thorns" rather than "teeth" or dant in Sanskrit, making the word "Tridant" for trident.[citation needed]
The trident is associated with the sea godPoseidon. This divine instrument is said to have been forged by thecyclopes.[4]
Poseidon struck a rock with his trident, causing a sea (or a saltwater spring, called theErechtheis) to appear nearby on theAcropolis inAthens.[5][6] And according to Roman sources, Neptune struck the earth with the trident to produce the firstwarhorse.[7]
Poseidon, as well as being the god of the sea, was also known as the "Earth Shaker",[8] believed to causeearthquakes;[9][a] some commentators[who?] have extrapolated that the god would have used the trident to cause them,[10] possibly by striking the earth.[citation needed]
In the Renaissance artistGian Bernini's sculptureNeptune and Triton (1622–23), Neptune is posed holding a trident turned downwards, and is thought to reenact a scene fromAeneid orOvid'sMetamorphoses where he is calming the waves to aidAeneas's ships.[11]
In later Greek and Roman art and literature, other sea deities and their attendants have been depicted holding the trident.
Poseidon's consortAmphitrite is often identified by some marine attribute other than a trident, which she never carries according to some scholars, though other commentators have disagreed.[12][14]
Turning to the retinue or a train of beings which follow the sea deities (themarine thiasos) theTritons (mermen) may be seen bearing tridents.[15] Likewise, theOld Man of the Sea (halios geron) and the godNereus are seen holding tridents.[15] Tritons, other mermen, and theNereides can also carry rudders, oars, fish, or dolphins.[15]
Oceanus normally should not carry a trident, allowing him to be clearly distinguished from Poseidon. However, there isconflation of the deities inRomano-British iconography, and examples exist where the crab-claw headed Oceanus also bears a trident.[17][18] Oceanus holding a trident has been found onRomano-Britishcoinage as well.[b][19]
Someamorini have been depicted carrying tiny tridents.[c][20]
The trident is even seen suspended like a pendant on adolphin in Roman mosaic art.[d][21]
In religiousTaoism, the trident represents the Taoist Trinity, theThree Pure Ones. In Taoist rituals, a trident bell is used to invite the presence of deities and summon spirits, as the trident signifies the highest authority of Heaven.[citation needed]
It has been used by farmers as adecorticator to remove leaves, seeds and buds from the stalks of plants such asflax andhemp.[citation needed] A form of trident is used by thegardians in the Camargue of southern France for herding cattle.[citation needed]
The trident was used as the original cap insignia and original logo for theSeattle Mariners. Although the Mariners changed their cap insignia & logo away from a trident theme in 1993, the club allows players to use a trident as a prop after hitting home runs during games. The trident prop used by the team is a replica from the 2018 filmAquaman.[32]
Part of the golden-coloredcrest of theUnited States Naval Academy, which depicts a trident running vertically in its background. In addition, the Naval Academy’s motto,Ex scientia tridens, literally translates from Latin as "From knowledge, a trident", though the official translation is "From knowledge, seapower" (i.e. using the association of the trident with Poseidon/Neptune and other sea gods as a metaphor for naval might).
The ship's crests of 13 of the 18Ohio-class submarines of the U.S. Navy prominently feature tridents, as both a symbol of maritime power, and in reference to their payloads ofTrident D-5 missiles.
A number of structures in the biological world are described astrident in appearance. Since at least the late 19th century the trident shape was applied to certain botanical shapes; for example, certainorchid flora were described as having trident-tipped lips in earlybotanical works.[33] Furthermore, in current botanical literature, certainbracts are stated to have a trident-shape (e.g.Douglas-fir).[34]
^Mackay catalogs instances in classical literature where Poseidon is connected with the earthquake, but does not cite use of the trident in any, only mentioning its use in creating the horse.[9]
^Porta Capena mosaics, Rome. In the center is a square with geometric design (star inscribed in circle), and there are four diagonal spokes from it in the shape of a trident.
^Burke assigns trident to Neptune and Eve to Triton. Eve states the Triton is "sometimes called Neptune", while Burke cross-references "merman" to "Neptune".
^Thomas Moule, among others write "triton, or merman" implying interchangeability of these terms.
^Bury, John Bagnell (1940). "XXII.vi Zeus, Hera, Poseidon".The Cambridge Ancient History. University Press. p. 631.Poseidon,..the earth-shaker, whose trident roused the earthquake, and the god of horses.
^Wilkins, Ann Thomas (2000), "Bernini and Ovid: Expanding the Concept of Metamorphosis",International Journal of the Classical Tradition,6 (3):403–404JSTOR30222585
^Oceanus Mosaic fromWithington;[16] The "pavement from Ashcroft Villas, Cirencester" is also mentioned.
^Wilson, R. J. A. (2006), "Aspects of Iconography in Romano-British Mosaics: The Rudston 'Aquatic' Scene and the Brading Astronomer Revisited",Britannia,37, Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies:297–299,doi:10.3815/000000006784016693,S2CID190728064JSTOR30030523
^John Lindley and Thomas Moore (1964)The Treasury of Botany: A Popular Dictionary of the Vegetable Kingdom with which is Incorporated a Glossary of Botanical Terms, Published by Longmans Green, pt.1
![Tridents (trishula) brought as offerings to Guna Devi, near Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India[35]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aTridents_(Trishul)_brought_as_offerings_to_Guna_Devi.%2c_near_Dharamsala%2c_Himachal_Pradesh.jpg)
