ZEUS
Zeus
• Supreme ruler, Lord of the Sky,
• Symbols the thunderbolt, eagle, oak tree
• Mightier than any other member of his family,
but not omniscient or omnipotent
• Had many loves and lovers, although he was
married to HERA
HERA
HERA (Juno)
• Zeus’s wife and sister, supposedly very
beautiful
• Protector of marriage
• Punished all the women with whom Zeus had
affaris
• She was honored in every Greek home
• Symbols are the cow and the peacock
POSEIDON
Poseidon (Neptune)
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Ruler of the sea
Zeus’s brother, 2nd to Zeus
Gave the horse to mankind
Storms and calm were under his control, as
were earthquakes
• Symbol was the trident
HADES
HADES (Pluto)
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3rd brother, ruled over the Underworld and the dead
God of precious metals hidden within the earth
Had an invisibility helmet
Mostly stayed in the Underworld, rarely left
He was a just (like justice), but terrible god
Wife was Persephone
He was King of the Dead, but not actually death
himself
Hades -2• The river Styx flowed around the Underworld• Charon was the ferryman who would take
souls across but only if they paid him, if they
didn’t the soul was left to wander until they
could find money to go across (that’s why
people were buried with a coin under their
tongues)
• Cerberus, three-headed dog was the
watchdog of the underworld
ATHENA
ATHENA (Minerva)
• Daughter of Zeus alone, full grown and in full
armor she burst forth from his head (ouch!)
• Fierce battle goddess
• Protector of civilized life, handicrafts and
agriculture, first tamed horses for men to use
• Zeus’s favorite child, trusted her to carry his
weapons
• Embodies wisdom, reason, purity
• Athens was her special city, the olive tree was her
symbol, as was the owl
APOLLO
APOLLO
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Son of Zeus, most Greek of all the gods
Beautiful, musician (lyre)
Silver bow and arrow (archer)
Taught men the healing arts
God of Light, God of Truth, (often the Sun God)
Famous oracle at Delphi = direct link to the Gods
Laurel tree was his symbol
ARTEMIS
ARTEMIS (Diana)
• Apollo’s twin sister (he was sun, she was the
moon)
• Protector of the young, wanted to stay young
and never marry
• She was the Lady of Wild Things, Huntsmanin-Chief to the Olympians
• Symbols= cypress tree, all wild animals
(especially the deer)
APHRODITE
APHRODITE (Venus)
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Goddess of Love and Beauty
Supposedly born from the foam of the sea
Often characterized as the wife of Hephaestus
Symbols- the myrtle tree, dove
HERMES
HERMES (Mercury)
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Messenger god
Known for winged sandals, hat and Caduceus
He was shrewd and cunning (a master thief!)
Gave Apollo his lyre for stealing his cattle
Led souls to the Underworld
ARES
ARES (Mars)
• God of War
• Other gods can’t stand him
• Little more than a symbol of war in Greek
mythology
• His bird was the vulture, the dog was his
animal
HEPHAESTUS
HEPHAESTUS (Vulcan)
• God of Fire
• Born of Hera alone, supposedly cast out of
Olympus by her also BUT later becomes highly
esteemed by the gods of Olympus
• The only god who is ugly, he is also lame
• Married to Aphrodite
• Kind and peace loving
HESTIA
HESTIA (Vesta)
• Not married- like Athena and Artemis
• Goddess of the Hearth and Home