THE GREEK GODS GODDESSES AND TITANS THE TWELVE

THE GREEK GODS, GODDESSES, AND TITANS

THE TWELVE OLYMPIANS

ZEUS • Roman Name- Jupiter • God of the sky and ruler of the Olympians (drew lots) • His weapon is the thunderbolt • Married to Hera, but is not faithful in his marriage • Punishes those who lie and break oaths • Tree is the oak, bird is the eagle • God of justice and mercy, protector of the weak, and punisher of the wicked

POSEIDON • Roman name= Neptune • God of the sea, protector of all waters • Brothers of Zeus and Hades • Weapon is a trident • Second to Zeus in power • Has a difficult and quarrelsome personality • He was greedy • Made other gods mad by trying to take over their cities • In pursuit of Demeter (a woman other than his wife) he created the world’s first sea horse

HADES • Roman Name= Pluto • God of the underworld and of wealth, rules over the dead • Brother of Zeus and Poseidon • Greedy god who is concerned with increasing his subjects • Rarely lets any visitor leave the underworld • Has a helmet that makes him invisible • Rarely leaves the underworld • Married to Persephone

HESTIA • Roman Name= Vesta • Zeus’ sister • Goddess of the hearth • No distinct personality • Plays no role in the myths • Each city had a hearth dedicated to her where the fire was never allowed to go out • Mildest and most charitable of the gods

HERA • Roman Name= Juno • Zeus’ wife and sister • Goddess of marriage and childbirth, takes special care of married women • Her marriage was built on strife (cuckoo bird) • Revolted against Zeus once, never again (gold chains) • Frequently outwitted Zeus • Many of her myths deal with her jealousy • Sacred animals are the cow and the peacock

ARES • Roman name=Mars • Aris • Son of Zeus and Hera • God of war • Disliked by both parents • Considered murderous but cowardly • Had an affair with Aphrodite • His bird is the vulture, animal is the dog

ATHENA • Roman name= Minerva • Goddess of reason, intellectual activities, literature, and art • Also city, handicrafts, and agriculture • Daughter of Zeus (his favorite child) • Sprang full grown from his head in full armor • Fierce and brave in battle • Created the bridle, trumpet, flute, pot, rake, plow, yoke, ship, and chariot • Tree is olive, owl is bird, city is Athens

APOLLO • Roman Name= Apollo • God of music, healing, light, truth • Son of Zeus and Leto • Twin sister is Artemis • Silver bow • Cannot speak a lie • Daily task is to harness his 4 horse chariot and drive the sun across the sky • Tree is laurel, bird is crow, animal is dolphin

APHRODITE • Roman Name = Venus • Goddess of love, desire, and beauty • Born from sea foam • Married to Hephaestus • Lovers with Ares • Tree is myrtle, bird is dove, swan, and sparrow

HERMES • Roman Name= Mercury • Messenger to the gods • The most clever of the gods • Fastest of the gods • Winged shoes and hat • Son of Zeus • Guides the dead to the underworld • Invented the lyre, the pipes, the musical scale, astronomy, weights and measures, boxing and gymnastics

ARTEMIS • Roman Name= Diana • Goddess of chastity, the hunt, the moon, and the natural environment • Twin brother is Apollo • lady of wild things • Hunts with silver arrows • Cypress is her tree • All wild animals are sacred to her, especially the deer

HEPHAESTUS • Roman Name = Vulcan • Son of Hera and maybe Zeus (rumored that he has no father) • Only god to be physically ugly • Hera • Zeus • God of fire and forge, patron god of smiths and weavers • Kind and peace loving • Married to Aphrodite

SOME OF THE OTHER GODS

DEMETER • Roman Name= Ceres • Goddess of corn, grain, and harvest • Makes the crops grow each year and the Greeks sacrifice the first loaf of bread from the harvest each year to her • Sacred to her are livestock and agricultural products • Her daughter is Persephone • cereal

PERSEPHONE • Roman Name= Proserpine • Daughter of Zeus and Demeter • Goddess of springtime • Wife of Hades and Queen of the underworld for six months each year • Mint and pomegranate are sacred to her

DIONYSUS • Roman Name= Bacchus • God of fertility and wine, patron of the arts • Dual nature: brings joy and divine ecstasy and brutal, unthinking rage • Son of Zeus and Semele—only god to have a mortal parent • One of the few who could bring someone back from the underworld • Semele burnt to a crisp

EROS • Roman Name= Cupid • God of love • Son of Aphrodite • Represented blindfolded because “love is blind” • His arrows are magically treated to cause the person to fall madly in love with the first person they see.

PAN • • • Roman Name= Faunus God of flocks and shepherds Son of Zeus and Penelope (who later married Odysseus) Plays the pipes, merry and playful, often seen dancing Pursues the nymphs but is always rejected because he is ugly • His name is the basis for the word panic • The Titans • Noises in the woods

THE GRACES • Daughters of Zeus and Eurynome • Aglaia (Splendor) • Euphrosyne (mirth) • Thalia (good cheer) • Known for singing and dancing for the gods

THE FATES • • Decide a man’s destiny They decide if he is good or evil and how long he lives Clotho spins the thread of life Lachesis is the measurer and chooses the lot in life and how long it will be • Atropos cuts the thread with death at her sheers • Old and predate the gods…may even determine the fate of the gods…not even the most powerful with mess with them

SOME OF THE TITANS

GAEA • Roman Name= Terra • Earth goddess • Mated with Uranus to create all the other Titans

URANUS • Roman Name= Uranus • Sky god and first ruler • Son of Gaea who created him without help • Cronus killed him

CHRONUS • Roman Name= Saturn • The ruling titan after he killed his father • Married to Rhea…together they had the Olympians • Ate each of his children as they were born, except Zeus

RHEA • Roman Name =Ops • Wife of Cronus • Tricked him into swallowing a rock

PROMETHEUS • Roman Name= Prometheus • The wisest titan…his name means “forethought” • He and his brother were given the job of creating man • Gave many gifts including fire • allowed them to keep the best parts of the animal • As punishment Zeus chained him to a rock and let an eagle poke out his liver

EPIMETHEUS • Roman Name= Epimetheus • Not smart…name means “afterthought” • Gave all the best traits to animals and left nothing for man • Accepted the gift from Pandora

ATLAS • Roman Name= Atlas • Brothers of Epimetheus and Prometheus • Took Cronus’ side in the battle • As punishment, Zeus made him bear the weight of the world on his shoulders

METIS • Roman Name= Metis • Presided over all wisdom and knowledge • Prophecy said that Zeus’ second child would over throw him • Pregnant with Athena • Swallowed Metis

THE FAMILY TREE