Contents:
Greek Gods And Their Goddesses.
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Amazon Inspire Digital Educational Resources. Amazon Rapids Fun stories for kids on the go. Amazon Restaurants Food delivery from local restaurants. ComiXology Thousands of Digital Comics. East Dane Designer Men's Fashion. Shopbop Designer Fashion Brands. Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia were the children of Cronus and the original six Olympians; all additional Olympians were children of Zeus though not all were birthed by traditional means.
With the exception of Hades, who was often depicted dwelling in Tartarus, all of the Greek gods lived in splendor in a city that they named Olympus. This majestic city hovered high above a mountain, which was named Mount Olympus as a result.
Mighty clouds served as the gates of Olympus and it was said that no rough wind or foul weather ever shook the city of the gods. After the overthrow of the Titans, Zeus was not only the leader of the Olympians but also the ruler of the universe. Those who did often did so through trickery and guile rather than through direct confrontation.
Kind of hard to miss Janus, since he has two faces. His dominion over the oceans and influence on land could make or break a sea-faring culture like that of the Greeks. When considering these stories, we must remember that the Greeks were creating stories based on their own fallible human nature. Get fast, free shipping with Amazon Prime. He is the brother of Thanatos Death.
Because the Greek gods mirrored all the same faults and foibles as humanity, Zeus could make mistakes and be deceived. He was often a skirt-chaser as well, taking a variety of bizarre forms including but not limited to bulls, swans, and golden rain to seduce mortal woman. Though he was certainly not as powerful as Zeus, Poseidon was not to be trifled with.
His dominion over the oceans and influence on land could make or break a sea-faring culture like that of the Greeks. In response, he created horses. A brother of Zeus and Poseidon, Hades simply got the short stick when the Olympian brothers divvied up their domains.
Hades ruled over the underworld, also known as Tartarus. Unlike the Judeo-Christian concept of heaven and hell, all souls — whether good or evil — arrived in Tartarus where Hades was responsible for their care. There was some degree of punishment for the wicked and reward for the just, but not to the same degree as the heaven and hell dichotomy. Hades was the only Olympian who did not make his home atop Mount Olympus. He brooded in Tartarus with his three-headed dog Cerberus, who guarded the gates and prevented the living from entering and the dead from leaving.
Hades wife, Persephone, was a mortal woman whom Hades abducted. Hera was the wife of Zeus and, ironically, the goddess of fidelity. As you can imagine, she was particularly irritable when Zeus seduced fellow goddesses or, worse, mortal women.
Furthermore, the child the woman bore would suffer as well. Hera was symbolized by the peacock and, though she rarely engaged in any sort of combat herself, she was cunning, stealthy, and held sway over her husband, making her formidable in a way no other Olympian could boast of being.
She was the goddess of the hearth, which meant that if you had a comfortable home and a happy family then Hestia had blessed you. Like Hestia, Demeter was often upstaged by her fellow Olympians. She was the goddess of grain, which made her very important to everyday life. Pallas Athena, usually referred to simply as Athena, was the goddess of wisdom.
The Greek hoplite helmet she wore perched atop her head easily identified her. She was frequently shown with a shield and spear in hand as well. If Ares was the savage brutality and strength of war, Athena was the cunning, strategic side of it. She was most famous for her regard of Odysseus, whom was known as the cleverest of all the Greeks.
Apollo was very popular with the Greeks as he was the god of truth and prophecy. Temples and oracles were scattered all over Greece that boasted of having a direct line to Apollo; however, the most prestigious of these was the Oracle at Delphi. It was common for Greek kings to consult Apollo regarding war and political conflicts. The Olympian was no stranger to combat; his weapon of choice was the bow, but he was also frequently pictured with a lyre, which displays the diverse qualities of this particular god.
Hermes was a curious looking Olympian: In addition, his sandals had wings and he carried a scepter the winged rod entwined with snakes that we now use as a symbol for medical practice. He was the messenger god, a sort of mailman for Olympus and, like the angels sometimes do in Scripture, declares the will of Zeus to the mortal world. As you can infer from his winged attire, Hermes could move with great speed.
Interestingly, Hermes was also the god of thieves. Like Hestia and Demeter, Artemis rarely took center stage. She was the goddess of the hunt and preservation of the wild.
Ah, Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love. Much could be said about this Olympian, but let it suffice to say she stood out even amidst the physical perfection of the Olympians. As you can imagine, Aphrodite frequently had her lovely fingers entwined in the more memorable Greek myths. Her long blonde hair strategically covering her lady parts makes her instantly recognizable in many Renaissance paintings; however, she just as often bares all. Ares was the infamous god of war. He was not the sort of god the Greeks would consult like Zeus, Apollo, or Athena, but rather he was a personified savage force of nature.
He was quite intimidating on the battlefield until he was wounded, at which point he would bellow in rage and flee to Olympus.
Ares also had a torrid love affair with Aphrodite, which came back to bite him in a significant way. Only one Olympian was outright butt-ugly. Poor Hephaestus was so unsightly that his mother, Hera, cast him off of the peak of Olympus when he was born. As a result, Hephaestus walked with a limp. He functioned as the god of fire and forging, and everything he created was flawless, unbreakable, and of tremendous value.